AM+DG Torres, Lorenzo Cadhit, Giolo Banayad, Joshua November 11, 2012 2-N Ms.

Guerrero

THE EFFECT OF DRIED PAPAYA LEAF MULCH ON THE GROWTH OF TOMATO PLANTS (Lycopersicon esculentum) Qualitative Observations on the Tomato Plant Set-ups Set-up Parts Tomato Plant Dried Papaya Leaf Mulch Before Mulch Exposure Light Green leafs Damp After One Week Dark Green leafs, taller Dry, bad smell

Summary of Data and Observation:All plants are still healthy because of the color of their leaves. By week 3, the average height of the A plants is 4.462 cm(2.44 cm more than initial average height). The average height of the B plants by week 3 is 5.990 cm (3.804 cm more than initial average height).

Quantitative Data on the Growth of Tomato Plant Set-ups The Height of Tomato Plants with different amounts of Tomato Leaf Mulch Plant Initial Oct. 14 (cm) Week 1 Oct. 21 (cm) Week 2 Oct. 28 (cm) Week 3 Nov. 4 (cm) Week 4 Nov. 11 (cm) Week 5 Nov. 18 (cm)

Plant Set-up A (Plants without Mulch aka Controlled Set-up) A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 A Ave. 1.51 1.65 2.49 2.15 2.31 2.022 2.45 3.81 4.93 2.57 4.10 3.572 3.01 4.00 5.25 2.78 4.44 3.896 3.77 4.31 5.96 3.39 4.88 4.462 5.42 7.37 8.00 5.00 7.18 6.596 7.79 8.89 9.55 7.14 8.30 8.334

B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 B Ave.

2.00 2.31 1.72 3.00 1.90 2.186

Plant Set-up B (Plants with 20g Mulch) 4.62 5.13 5.79 5.36 4.78 5.61 3.67 4.808 5.87 5.28 6.21 4.26 5.350 6.34 5.76 7.07 4.99 5.990

7.56 9.12 8.23 9.66 6.95 8.304

9.56 10.27 9.71 10.53 8.86 9.786

Graph of the growth rate of the set-ups

Height of plant (cm)

Discussion of results: Based on the data the researchers have gathered, we can see how the set-ups with dried papaya leaf mulch had a higher growth rate than those without. After the allotted time for the experiment, all the plants from the mulch set-up grew at least 7cm higher with the highest growing 8cm higher. On the other hand the set-ups without mulch only grew at least 5cm taller with the highest growing only 7cm taller.

Conclusion The researchers therefore conclude that using dried papaya leaves as mulch for tomato plant helps tremendously in its growth rate. Dried papaya leaves have nutrients that help nurture the soil so that it will be more favourable conditions for the

growth of tomato plants. Also the researchers found out that dried papaya leaves are basic and therefore help make the soil in which tomato plants grow more neutral. This is important because studies have shown that neutral pH levels of soil are the most favourable conditions for a tomato plant to grow in. Recommendations: 1. All plants could be at the same initial height at the start of the experiment to have more consistent data and to see the growth with more precision. 2. Based on our further research, testing dried papaya leafs as insect repellants would be a more effective topic than testing its characteristic as an alkaline mulch. 3. There could have been a set-up in which a commercial fertilizer was used to be able to compare the mulch's attributes to fertilizers used by farmers all around the country. 4. The set-ups could have been observed for at least two more weeks to check if the growth rate for both set-ups would have remained constant or changed over time. Sources:
www.ehow.com/how_2292947_make-mulch.html www.investigatoryprojectexample.com/science/dried-papaya-leaves-as-organic-mulch-for-tomatoplants.html www.msucares.com/lawn/garden/vegetables/mulching/
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/procedures-using-dried-papaya-leaves-organic-mulch-tomato-plants-59227.html