BSU-on-the-Air
DZWT 540 Khz
TITLE: CONCEPT, TYPES AND DEFINITION OF ORGANIC FERTILIZER (Part 1)
DATE OF AIRING: May 6, 2021
INTERVIEWEE: Prof. Alexander W. Fagyan
OBJECTIVE: To promote organic fertilizer
ANCHOR: Good morning to all of us, today is Tuesday and I hope that we are all doing great. We are blessed us today because we will be interviewing our expert Prof. Alexander Fagyan to discuss with us about Organic Fertilizer. Aside from that, other topics related to organic fertilizer, like the different types of soil, organic amendments and the process of application will be shared. Now, we have here Prof. Alexander Fagyan, good morning sir, and welcome to our program BSU-on-the-Air.
PROF. FAGYAN: Good morning too madam Nora and to all the listeners of our program BSU-on-the-Air, good morning!
ANCHOR: Alright, in fact, this is not the first time for us to interview Sir in a program and for this episode, let us focus on organic fertilizer, the different types and its benefits. And if you have questions, you can send it through our cellphone ng bayan so we can directly ask it to our expert. So here are the topics requested by our listeners based on the text messages that we have received. Most of them were asking about this organic, how to do it and how to apply it. However, we know that there are also different terminologies that you are using which we need to learn in this topic.
PROF. FAGYAN: So good morning to all of us! Before I will discuss the process on how to make a fertilizer, let’s just look at the terminologies on organic fertilizer. First, organic fertilizer is a kind of organic soil amendment. This organic soil amendment are materials that we mix with the soil to improve its water capacity and provide nutrition to the soil. It can provide nutrition like phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium , calcium, magnesium, sulfur and micro-nutrients like boron, iron, molybdenum, copper and zinc. We also have what we called pure and fortified organic fertilizer. Pure organic fertilizer is a pure biodegradable from live materials such as grasses, animal manure that can be decompose in order to produce this classification of an organic fertilizer. On the other hand, fortified fertilizer has an additives of ammonium. This is enhanced with other elements or nutrition added. Just like for example the milk that we are drinking, we have what we called fortified milk which means that there are other nutrition added for the baby. But for the plants, the additives that I am pertaining to are either microbes that’s why we have bio fertilizer and others is ammonium. If you can see, there are odorous organic fertilizer. Those are the additives that we are saying that’s why we call it fortified. So those are the types of organic fertilizer, the pure and fortified which are soil amendment.
Second is compost or soil compost. This is another organic soil amendment. If we say compost, this is biodegradable plants, woods that we can compost to make a fertilizer. It is also called soil conditioner. However, the differences of this from the organic fertilizer, is the fertilizer grade. Fertilizer grade pertains to the total of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of the fertilizer. For the BSU Growers Compost, it has 1.79% nitrogen, 4.88% phosphorus and 3.11% potassium. All in total is nine. If the computed fertilizer grade ranges from 5%-10%, it can be considered as organic fertilizer. However, if it’s 2.5%-5%, this is compost or soil conditioner.
That is the difference of the organic soil amendment or organic fertilizer and compost or soil conditioner.
Third organic soil amendment is the organic plant supplement. This is what we called organic plant extracts or fermented juice used in watering the plant. Usually, the total percentage of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus content is less than 2.5%. Hence, it can considered as organic plant supplement.
Now, those are the classification of fertilizer, organic fertilizer, compost or soil conditioner and organic plant supplement.
In additional, we have that what we called fish amino acid, which is a fermented fish. Those are from fishes like the grills that undergo fermentation. Since we know now the classification, let us discuss how to make fertilizer or compost or soil conditioner. First, consider the materials available in your surroundings. Example in Nueva Viscaya, there was this analysis of organic plant materials or substrates that they are composting. One of which is the fern. This is what we called alam-am in our dialect. It is the wild fern in the forest.
Another is the gumamela, pukpukot in our local dialect, the calliandra and ipil. This calliandra, ipil-ipil, gumamela, fern and camote tops are good source of nitrogen. Another also is wild sunflower with nitrogen and phosphorus. Those are the materials for composting that we can easily find in our surrounding. Also, sawdust is good but it has to be the sawdust from lowlands tress because pine tree is different from this. Another is coco coir dust. This can be derived from the dried coconut skin. It will be grounded and turned into coco coir dust.
We also have animal manure like cow manure, horse manure, swine manure and chicken manure.
You can use these. You can either use those materials in making fertilizer or compost.
ANCHOR: Alright, so sir was able to specify all the materials as based on their analysis on the different grasses or plants that we can use in composting. Some of those mentioned plants include gumamela, alam-am, puket-puket, calliandra, ipil-ipil, camote tops, marapait, animal manure, coco coir dust, saw dust, and grasses. Now, we will continue tomorrow how are we going to process these materials into fertilizer and how are we going to apply this. So for now, we have learned from this discussion of sir. So we thank you for the simplified discussion about organic fertilizer.
PROF. FAGYAN: Thank you too for giving mi this chance to discuss with you about organic fertilizer or soil amendments.
ANCHOR: Ok, so let’s stop at this point for the meantime and thank you for the time. Hoping that you will continue to support our program. Once again, I hope for God’s guidance to everyone of us in all that we do. Thank you from the Office of Extension Services, headed by Dr. Constantino Sudaypan and our staff Miss Jhelian Cabintos, here is your anchor Nora Sagayo, allangugan dagiti eksperto iti Benguet State University!
BSU-on-the-Air
DZWT 540 Khz
TITLE: MATERIALS NEEDED ORGANIC FERTILIZER (Part 2)
DATE OF AIRING: May 7, 2021
ANCHOR: NORA C. SAGAYO
INTERVIEWEE: Prof. Alexander W. Fagyan
OBJECTIVE: To promote organic fertilizer
ANCHOR: Good morning good morning to all our listeners. We are blessed still this day since we have here Prof. Alexander Fagyan from the Department of Soil Science under the College of Agriculture, Benguet State University to continue our discussion on how to make an organic fertilizer.
Just a recap of the previous discussion. Sir enumerated the different materials available in our surrounding in order to save money. He mentioned the procedures or steps that we need to follow in making organic soil amendments. Some of these include shredder or bolo to be used in chopping the plant materials into small pieces. There is a reason why we need to do this and those ingredients. Now we have here Sir Alexander Fagyan, to answer all these questions. So good morning sir, welcome to our program BSU-on the-Air.
PROF. FAGYAN: Thank you Nora and Jhelian, goodmorning to all our listeners.
ANCHOR: Alright, since you were able to discuss already about the process in making organic soil amendments through the materials you mentioned, and one is black plastic or sack use to cover the pile of the substrate like sawdust, grasses, then animal manure and followed by alam-am or sunflower or azola. We repeat the process until we reach 1 meter height. You also said, we need to water and add Trichoderma to speed the composting process. Now, why is it necessary to be particular with the black plastic?
PROF. FAGYAN: Yes because this is hotter and it will not expose unlike the transparent plastic wherein the heat is coming out. It cannot trap the heat inside. The black plastic can trap the heat inside and is good for the worms.
ANCHOR: Alright, so I hope that is clear for us why we need to get the black one and not other colors. Now, since we already know the procedure, let us know sir also about the location. Are there requirements for the area where we can have our compost? Also, what is the next step to do after site selction? And in case we already have, how long will it take for a compost pile to decompost and can be used? And Do we need to keep on monitoring?
PROF. FAGYAN: That’s are great questions. Actually, yes, that should be the first thing to do, the site selection. It is where we will do the organic fertilizer. We need to consider the area that is not flooded. In our case here in La Trinidad since it is flooded, we can find an open field. We can make a canal to avoid flooding the pile. So that is one of the requirements. Consider the availability of water. This is needed because we need to water the compost pile after one week before we reverse the substrate. Once you observe that it lacks water, you need to water it. In summary, in site selection, it shouldn’t be prone to flood and with available water.
If you are practicing organic farming, your compost should not be above your vegetable garden.
It should be the other way around. This is because it has an influence, especially if there might be non-beneficial organisms found in the compost pile. Those are the requirements. And make sure that the materials are available because if we don’t have those like here in La Trinidad, we will spend more. We, BSU growers compost substrates from coco dust that we are buying. So we are purchasing but it’s only good for us that we have farm supplies but high prices.
Even chicken manure, we have that’s why we plan on getting this chicken manure from the BSU poultry to save capital since it is costly in the market like in Shilan or Tomay. So let us consider those, especially the materials needed. But for those who are already practicing organic farming, meaning to say you have your farm plan. You have considered the location for composting, area for organic vegetable production, area for vermicomposting if you plan to have, the shed, and room for all the tools. This is because if you want to be certified as organic since it is an organic farm and your product is organic vegetables, you will be certified. Maybe you have heard already about this certification. This is costly. We do have a program of the government specifically the Department of Agriculture wherein they will handle first-year certification, but for the rest, it will be shouldered by the farmer. Certification cost 30,000 for an organic farm. They will certify your product. One requirement here is the composting area. You must have a composting area if you are producing organic products.
They will ask about your fertilizer, and if what you have used is the fortified fertilizer which is odorous, and with a high percentage of phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, and more than 10, then it means to say that you have used organic fertilizer but fortified since it is enhanced, there is an added additive. In organic farming, there should be no additives. Microbes can help speed the decomposition of materials. That’s why we need to know those kinds of fertilizers.
ANCHOR: So now, let’s look at the ideal size of the composting area, do we have standard measurement for this?
PROF. FAGYAN: It depends on your preference. I just said one sack but for as long as the ratio is 1:1:1. But if there are bulk substrates, like coco dust, grasses, and five sacks of grasses then you should also have five sacks of animal manure. So that’s how we apply the ratio 1:1:1. Hence, it always depends on the volume of materials you have. But usually, for open fields, there’s no roof for this composting shed, you can’t start with two meters by one meter in length. You need to maximize but still depend on your available materials if you have many. If you have one sack of grass substrate, you need to have one sack also of chicken manure and one sack of azola or sunflower. But if there are lots, then increase the ratio.
ANCHOR: It’s clear sir, another question sir, how long will it take also to decompose? Will, it depends on the materials used? For example, we started today our composting, and we water it every after week, how many days to wait before we can already use it?
PROF. FAGYAN: Okay, here at BSU, we are using coco coir dust, chicken manure, and sunflower. This takes five months because we use 25 sacks of coco coir dust, for the first layer, 25 sacks of chicken manure then another is the sunflower. We are also using Trichoderma before we cover it with black plastic. We water this after a week then reverse the compost pile and then again every after week. Once it lacks water then we do it. That is why water is very important in the area.
ANCHOR: So five months, is it possible sir that we do have those takes more than five months?
PROF. FAGYAN: Yes, there is because it depends on the material, for example, sawdust, takes time because it’s not easy to decompose, if it decomposes at least it is carbonaceous material, for the chicken manure, once decomposes, it hydrolyzable carbon with 90% that’s why it decreases just like the sunflower. Even one sack of sunflower, cannot be contained in a sack because its water when decomposed. Hence it depends on the materials.
ANCHOR: So there, is the whole discussion with Prof. Alexander Fagyan. From the Office of Extension Services headed by Dr. Constantino T.Sudaypan and Ms. Jhelian Cabintos, here is your anchor Nora Sagayo, Allangugan dagiti eksperto iti Benguet State University!
BSU-on-the-Air
DZWT 540 Khz
TITLE: APPLICATION OF ORGANIC FERTILIZER (Part 3)
DATE OF AIRING: May 10, 2021
ANCHOR: NORA C. SAGAYO
INTERVIEWEE: PROF. ALEXANDER W. FAGYAN
OBJECTIVE: To promote organic fertilizer
ANCHOR: So good morning good morning, have a good morning again to all our listeners who are always supporting our program BSU-on-the-Air. Again, we are blessed today since we will still be having sir Alexander Fagyan from the Department of Soil Science under the College of Agriculture to continue the last part of our topic organic soil fertilizer. We have here now, Prof. Alexander Fagyan. Good morning and welcome sir!
PROF. FAGYAN: Good morning too! I am recalling your one question on how to know if the compost is already ripe. We can detect that by checking if its odor if it is already odorless. That is one of the criteria. If it is still odorous, you need to let it decomposes. Another is the color, it should be brown. It is a sign if it is ripe. However, if you want to sell your compost, you need to have an analysis of that. You tried to commercialize like BSU, that it has its label already hence it is being commercialized. The only thing is, we can only produce 300 sacks which we are requesting in one cycle. We are using 300 sacks of chicken manure and coco coir dust. This is why we can produce twice a year. So that is how to compost production is. If you like to market that, you need to package them if it is analyzed so that you can already establish a good kind of fertilizer.
ANCHOR: So sir, this analysis that you are saying wherein the content of the compost will be checked and analyzed if it’s proper, what can BSU do to help the farmers on this?
PRF. FAGYAN: For BSU, we can only provide technical assistance. BSU is not providing financial assistance, hence we suggest that this could materialize by having a Soil, Water, and Plant Analysis Laboratory here. However, if this will not materialize until next year, we do have this BSWM or Bureau of Soils and Water Management in Pacdal. You can pack a sample of your compost and send it to your PLGU or Municipal Agriculturist Office for them to bring the sample to that agency. They will analyze your fertilizer, by checking the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH, and others. That is if you want to commercialize your fertilizer. But if it’s only for personal consumption, it’s okay. You don’t need to submit it for analysis for as long as you are applying it in your organic vegetable production.
ANCHOR: So there, it’s good that we came to know the purpose that it is for commercialization. Now, if you are aiming for this, you may approach or visit that office mentioned by sir who is conducting an analysis of fertilizer. Now, since we already know how to process and produce organic fertilizer, then let’s move on and learn the application of this. Is this just through spraying or just mixing with the soil? and what are those considerations and procedures that we can follow to make it more effective in applying this organic fertilizer?
PROF. FAGYAN: Those are good questions, on how to apply this compost or organic fertilizer. There was this study that we can apply two times the recommended nitrogen requirement of inorganic fertilizer. This means that whatever is the requirement of our crop since we have different crops with different requirements. For example, lettuce or cabbage needs nitrogen at 240kg/hectare. So per hectare is pure
nitrogen, even broccoli, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, or head cabbage or those kinds of cabbage. That is the requirement of crucifers as to nitrogen. That’s it, we will base it on the computed need of the crops that we plant and produce on our farm. Another example, if is beans, which also require a different amount which is only 50 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare. For potatoes, it requires 140 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare. Pepper is 100 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare. Although, plants also require phosphorus we don’t need to compute that since it also contains a big amount of potassium hence, that can still be provided by organic fertilizer. Still, those are a requirement by plants in terms of phosphorous and potassium.
However, we only compute the nitrogen to know how many sacks or kilograms do we need in an area like a five square meter by five square meter plot or by ten. There was this statement that farmers apply eight kilograms per square meter. That is a big amount already. If you weigh that, it is equivalent already to one can because one can is equivalent to eight kilograms of fertilizer, and put in one square meter. But t studies in BSU under the greenhouse, four kilograms to six kilograms is good per square meter. Four kilograms of fertilizer per square meter. That’s what you can do, but if you are just starting like you are on the transition for example from conventional farming, you need six kilograms per square meter of fertilizer to rejuvenate or renew the fertilizer and abilities of the soil. This is because the soil that is used for conventional is poor. After all, we were applying in-organic fertilizer. Hence, conventional farming has acidic soil.
And the nutrition, they are only putting nitrogen phosphorus, potassium, and no more micro-nutrient element yet we need micro-nutrient element, it is the salt of the soil, just like us we have salt and food. For us humans, rice is our main carbohydrate but for plants, it is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Those are the biggest amount of nutrients that they need. It is where we can base for the meantime because even though I am talking here about computation but you cannot see it, you can only listen to it. Therefore, if you want to compute so that BSU can analyze your compost, then we can do it next time so you know how many are you going to apply. That’s it, for the meantime, you can apply only about 4-6 kilos per square meter of fertilizer or compost. Now, do you still have questions?
ANCHOR: You’ve mentioned already the bases in the application that it depends on the kind of crops and the size and also when you are transitioning from conventional farming to non-conventional farming. He also mentioned the things that we need to consider. Now, how are we going to apply the compost we made for our crops?
Are we going to just spread in the area? Distribute or better that we are the ones to do it so that it will be more effective?
PROF. FAGYAN: Ah ah that’s good questions madam Nora, well actually, the application
should be now then after application incorporate it into the soil then water it. Only after one week before you can plant it.
ANCHOR: And we know that the practice of others really just spread out in the areas.
PROF. FAGYAN: Still fine but what I’ve said a while ago is better especially if the plant is from the seedling tray. But if those are found in a seedbed that you will just pull out, of course, it will still establish, like the roots for absorption or the roots getting nutrition from the compost. Though, when you plant, you applied it first before your plant. So about 15 days, that will decompose and increase the organic matter content of the soil. So if that organic matter content increases, it will be degraded again, for microbes, that is their work to release organic nitrogen into inorganic form because that can be eaten by plants. So the organic matter content will decrease for about 30 days, then 40 days, then 75 days. There is a decrease in the organic matter content of the soil. So that’s what we need to learn because every after 30-45 days, the organic matter content of the soil decreases. Hence, for example, the plant is already three months, and if cabbage or potato, the needs nutrition for fruiting, and development. Now, where will they get them? They also need to eat, so that’s what we are learning. Maybe what we can do now is to split the application.
Before planting, put 3 kilos to 6 kilos per square meter. That 3 kilos per square meter, after 20 days from planting before you apply again. This means that you need to do side-dressing so that there will be a continuous supply of nutrition for the plant. That is the principle why we need to split. Again, that is because it was found out in a study that yes we put the fertilizer, it will decompose and become soil organic matter content. The organic material is compost, which is the kind of organic material that you will put. That will be decomposed and turn into soil organic matter, and then the soil organic matter, which contains nutrition which is the microbes of the soil that will eat, and release in-organic form that can be eaten by the plants. I have said a while ago that what we need to do is to degrade the soil organic matter so that it will release nutrition for up to 30-40 days, and soil organic matter decreases hence, we need to do side dress. That is also the principle why we need to do side dressing and doing a split application. There are also others, if you like, we have what we called organic plant supplement if we can use fertigate. This means that the extracted ferment plant juice or fermented fruit juice will be used with water and used to water the soil and be absorbed by the plants.
So that is now the application of organic agriculture or organic vegetable production. Hopefully, you have learned something, and if in case you have questions, just text the BSU extension office.
ANCHOR: Alright, that is another new learning. We were refreshed on those other parts and so many things that we learned. Now if we look back, he already enumerated all from the location site, things to be considered until application. Also the basis in the application until the different strategies and techniques that we can employ or do to avoid degradation. Hopefully, it is clear for all of us and we can now apply it in our garden. Now thank you sir for that comprehensive discussion on organic fertilizer.
PROF. FAGYAN: Thank you also apo Nora and apo Jhelian and this BSU-on-the-Air program.
ANCHOR: So there is Professor Alexander Fagyan, from the Department of Soil Science and we thank you from the full force of the Office of Extension Services headed by n Dr. Constantino Sudaypan and our staff Miss Jhelian Cabintos, here is Nora Sagayo, allangugan dagiti eksperto iti Benguet State University!