Soils effect on Spinacia oleracea:

Difference growth of a Spinach

plant Planted on 3 Main types of
Soil(sandy,loam,clay).
Introduction:
According to researchers and experts every plant needs a specific type of
soil for them to grow like Spinacia oleracea also known as spinach.
Spinach is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western
Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily
Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed
either fresh, or after storage using preservation techniques by canning,
freezing, or dehydration. Also, this vegetable contains many nutrients
including vitamin A, vitamin C,vitamin K,iron,filate, and potassium that's
good to our health. Soil is the loose surface material that covers most
land.It consists of inorganic particles and organic matter.Soil provides
the structural support to plants used in agriculture and is also their
source of water and nutrients.Soil carries out a range of functions and
service without which human life wound not be possible.It provides an
environment for plants (including food,crops and timber woods) to grow
in,by anchoring roots and storing nutrients.It filters and cleans our
water and helps prevent natural hazards such as flooding.Soils provides
anchorage for roots,hold water and nutrients and also soils our home to
myriad micro-organism that fix nitrogen and decompose organic matter,
and armies of microscopic animals as well as earthworms and termites.
We build on soil as well as with it and in it. Soil plays a vital role in the
Earth's ecosystem There are different types of soil, there are Clay, Silt,
Loam, Sandy soil, Aridisol, Sand, Gravel, Inceptisol and lastly Mollisol.
Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay
minerals. Clay's develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of
water surrounding the clay particles, but become hard, brittle and non–
plastic upon drying or firing. While Silt is granular material of a size
between sand and clay and composed mostly of broken grains of quartz.
Silt may occur as a soil or as sediment mixed in suspension with water.
Silt usually has a floury feel when dry, and lacks plasticity when wet.The
soil composed mostly of sand, silt, and a smaller amount of clay. By
weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of
sand–silt–clay, respectively is called Loam.Sandy soils are those that are
generally coarse textured until 50 cm depth and consequently retain few
nutrients and have a low water holding capacity. Soil management
practices which lead to an increase in the fine fraction are helpful in
improving soil properties and crop productivity.Gravel is a loose
aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally throughout the
world as a result of sedimentary and erosive geologic processes; it is also
produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone.Inceptisols
are a soil order in USDA soil taxonomy. They form quickly through
alteration of parent material. They are more developed than Entisols.
They have no accumulation of clay's, iron oxide, aluminium oxide or
organic matter. They have an ochric or umbric horizon and a cambic
subsurface horizon.Mollisol is a soil type which has deep, high organic
matter, nutrient-enriched surface soil (a horizon), typically between 60
and 80 cm in depth. This fertile surface horizon, called a mollic
epipedon, is the defining diagnostic feature of Mollisols.Plants need a
stable ground to grow their roots, and this is what soil provides. Soil
ensures that the roots system can grow outwards and downwards and
hence give your plants the support they need to grow. Without soil, it
would be tough for the plants to germinate or get the nutrients that
they need.There are three main types of soil: sand, silt, and clay. The
best soil for most plants to ensure optimum growth is a rich, sandy loam.
This soil is an even mixture of all three main types of soil. In most cases,
you'll need to amend the soil with compost. Depending on how compact
the soil is, you may need to add peat moss and sand. However, there are
many plants that are well adapted and can grow in particular types of
soil.

A loam soil contains a nice balance of silt, sand, and clay along with
humus. The factors that make this soil type so desirable and good for
growing plants include:

Higher pH level: The best pH for most plants is between 6.0 and 7.0. The
pH level affects the plant's ability to grow. This range of acidity allows
good plant nutrients to thrive as well as other soil organisms, such as
earthworms.
Higher calcium level: Plants need calcium for healthy growth. Calcium
helps maintain the balance of soil chemicals. It also ensures that water
reaches the roots of plants by improving the soil's ability to retain water.
It also contributes to creating the looseness of the soil, so oxygen
reaches the roots. Calcium reduces the amount of salt in the soil. Too
much salt damages the root systems and limits the plant's growth and
ability to absorb nutrients.
Gritty texture: The soil is dry, soft but gritty to the touch, and crumbles
easily to provide excellent draining properties. The soil texture also
retains water and plant nutrients. This benefits the plants with
consistent moisture and food. Since the soil is crumbly, the air flows
easily all the way to the roots.

Statement of the problem

This aims to give information and knowledge for the field of agriculture
and anyone who plants on which kind of soil is the best for planting
spinach

Questions:
1. Does soil affects the growth of a spinach that are planted?
2. Is soil essential for plants?
3. What is the best soil for planting spinach?

Hypothesis

NULL:
there are no difference between two spinach that are planted on two
different kind of soil if you don’t take care of the both of them

ALTERNITIVE:
There are difference between two same spinach that are planted to two
different kind of soil if you only take care of one of them
Significance of the study :

The study can contribute to the field of agriculture to inform farmers or

other people about knowledge on different effects of soil on spinach and
which is better for planting them

Scope and delimitation:

The central focus of this study is the investigation on

different kinds of soil and its benefits on different kinds of plants
specially on spinach(spinacia oleracea) .

The equipment for the experiment is available

around the house and on our surrounding and can be done anytime.

Definition of terms:
Soil:
Soil is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and
organisms that together support life. Earth's body of soil, called the
pedosphere, has four important functions:

Plant:
a living organism of the kind exemplified by trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses,
ferns, and mosses, typically growing in a permanent site, absorbing
water and inorganic substances through its roots, and synthesizing
nutrients in its leaves by photosynthesis using the green pigment
chlorophyll.
Clay:
a stiff, sticky fine-grained earth, typically yellow, red, or bluish-gray in
color and often forming an impermeable layer in the soil. It can be
molded when wet, and is dried and baked to make bricks, pottery, and
ceramics.

Sand:
A loose granular substance,typically pale yellowish brown,resulting from
the erosion of siliceous and other rocks and forming a major constituent
of beaches,river beds,the seabed, and desserts

Loam:
A soil with roughly equal proportion of sand,silt,and clay most plant
grow better when planted in loam

Agriculture:
The science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for
the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide
food,wool,and other products

Methods and procedure:

Materials
1. three pots
2. Watering can
3. Gardening tools
4. Spinach seeds
5. Fertilizer(optional)
6. The three main types of soil(sand,loam,clay)
Methods and procedure

Phase 1
Gathering of materials:
Find a container or pot to put the three types of soil once found we
looked into where we can find the soils needed and asking land owners
if we can have a a container full of the soil and looking for three plants
that’s on the exact height

Phase 2
Planting on soil:
●Put the soil on three same containers equally once done plant the the
plant you have on each container in the same time and depth after that
Put them somewhere they can get enough sunlight and water them
after with the same amount of water also put an exact same amount of
fertilizer on each plant (optional)

Phase 3
Observation:
Take care of the plants every day for by watering them equally every
morning and making sure they get enough and equal sunlight do this
every day for three days and wait

Phase 4
Measuring the growth of the plants:
Use a ruler to measure each plant on the last day of taking care of then
after that list the height of each plant and where its planted and then
study the plant after’

After taking data we need to compare the growth of the

spinach plant on each of the three main types of soil. After that
 we should know what type of soil does a spinach plant grows
better.

Bibliography
Types of soil retrieved from London,Fayenatic."Soil Type".Holticultute
and Gardening,4(December
27,2021):1,https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_type
Benefits of spinach retrieved from Johnson,Marie Lorraine."Health
benefits and nutritional value of spinach"3(March 8,2022):9,
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270609#benefits
Spinach101 retrieved from Gunnars,Kris."Spinach 101: Nutrition Facts
and Health Benefits"3(May
14,2019):5.,https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/spinach

Research done by:

Renalyn Geñorga
Jael Encinares
Fiona Miranda