Impact of Organic Fertilizer from Philippine Tree Fern (Cyathea contaminans) Leaves on Tuber Performance of Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas)
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Abstract
Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) is a staple crop in the Philippines, yet declining soil fertility poses a challenge to its sustainable production. This study investigates the impact of organic fertilizer from Philippine Tree Fern (Cyathea contaminans) leaves as a viable alternative to synthetic fertilizers. Conducted in Basey, Samar—where demonstration farms have been operating since 2019—the study employed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) to compare three treatments: (A) organic fertilizer from C. contaminans, (B) no fertilizer (control), and (C) commercial fertilizer (muriate of potash + urea). Results revealed that C. contaminans fertilizer significantly improved sweetpotato tuber survival rates, with the highest number of ridges with survived tubers (11 ridges) and the lowest number of ridges with diseased tubers (2 ridges), compared to the control (5 survived, 7 diseased) and synthetic fertilizer (6 survived, 13 diseased) (χ² = 9.143, p = 0.010). Despite these benefits, no statistically significant differences were observed in tuber weight (p = 0.698) or circumference (p = 0.671) across treatments. However, treatment A produced slightly heavier (median weight of 0.240 kg) and larger (mean circumference of 133.41 cm) tubers on average. These findings suggest that C. contaminans-based fertilizer enhances plant resilience and disease resistance, making it a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative. Further research should explore its long-term impact on soil microbial composition, nutrient availability, and economic feasibility for large-scale adoption.
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