“Effectiveness of Wood Ashes as an Additive in Increasing the

Growth of a Sweet Corn Plant (Zea mays L)”

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A Research Paper Presented to the Faculty of

Caraga Regional Science High School

San Juan, Surigao City

____________________________________________________________________

ELUMBA, Sidrick B.

ESTOLAS, Niel B.

RIVERA, James B.

Researchers

Mrs. Marygen S. Cuadra

Research Adviser

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The researchers would like to express their gratitude to the following for

without their support, this study would not be possible.

First, the researchers would like to thank God for without His guidance, the

study would not lead to fruition.

Next, the researcher would like to thank their adviser Mrs. Marygen Cuadra,

for her continuous support throughout the duration of the study.

Finally, the researcher would also like to express their gratitude to the parents

for their assistance during the conduct of the study

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT…………………………………………………….i
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………………ii
ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………iii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study……………………………………………………. 1
Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………… 2
Hypothesis……………………………………………………………………2
Significance of the Study…………………………………………………….3
Scope and Limitations……………………………………………………….3
Definition of Terms………………………………………………………….4
Review of Related Literature………………………………………………..5
CHAPTER II: METHODOLOGY……………………………………………….8
Research design……………………………………………………………..8
Schematic diagram………………………………………………………….8
Procedure……………………………………………………………………9
CHAPTER III RESULT AND DISCUSSION………………………………….11
Result……………………………………………………………………….11
Discussion………………………………………………………………….14
CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION……………………..15
Conclusion………………………………………………………………….15
Recommendation……………………………………………………………15
References…………………………………………………………………..16
Documentation………………………………………………………………17

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 Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of wood ashes as an

additive in enhancing the growth of sweet corn plants (Zea mays L) while decreasing

greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases have far-ranging environmental and

health effects. Wood ashes are commonly produced as a byproduct of wood

combustion and have been recognized for their potential use as a soil amendment due

to their high mineral content. The findings indicates that Wood Ash contains a variety

of main and minor components that plants require for growth. The key findings of the

study resolves to wood ash being an effective additive in increasing the growth of

plants, specifically sweet corn plant (Zea mays L). One of the key findings also

indicates that there may be a limit to how much wood ashes can be added before it

becomes detrimental to plant growth. In conclusion, the findings of this study

demonstrate that wood ashes can be an effective additive for promoting the growth of

sweet corn plants. However, further research is needed to determine the long-term

effects of wood ashes on soil health and nutrient dynamics, as well as to optimize

their application rates for different soil types.

Keywords: Fertilizer, Wood ashes, Sweet corn plant (Zea mays L).

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Sweet corn (Zea mays L) is a widely cultivated crop due to its economic

importance and nutritional value. Maximizing the growth and yield of sweet corn

plants is of great interest to farmers and researchers. One potential approach to

enhance plant growth is the use of wood ashes as an additive in agricultural practices.

Wood ashes contain various nutrients and minerals that can potentially benefit plant

growth. This review aims to explore the existing literature on the effectiveness of

wood ashes as an additive in increasing the growth of sweet corn plants. Commercial

fertilizer is a pressing problem for the ecosystem’s health and climate. Large shares of

chemicals are applied to farms as commercialized fertilizer that washes into rivers

causing algal blooms and killing off marine life and contributing to greenhouse gas,

greenhouse gases have far-ranging environmental and health problems. They cause

climate change by trapping heat, and they also contribute to respiratory disease from

smog and air pollution. The cultivation of this study is to find ways and solutions for

lessening the use of commercial fertilizers and start utilizing alternative biodegradable

fertilizers such us wood ashes which contain nutrients that can be beneficial for the

growth of the plant.

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Statement of the Problem

The main objective of the study is to investigate the Beneficial (Effectiveness)

of Wood Ashes as an Additive in Increasing the Growth of a Sweet Corn Plant

In this light, the researchers aims to answer the following questions:

[Link] is the growth performance of Sweet Corn Plant using Wood

Ashes as an alternative fertilizer compare to Commercial fertilizer in terms of

the following:

a)Number of leaves?

b)Height of the Plant?

c)Root length?

Hypothesis

From the problems mentioned previously, the following are the hypothesis

formulated:

Null Hypothesis

 There is no significant difference of the growth performance between Wood

Ashes Additive and commercial fertilizer in terms of growth of the plant

Alternative Hypothesis

 There is a significant difference of the growth performance between Wood

Ashes Additive and commercial fertilizer in terms of growth of the plant

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 Significance of The Study

The result of the study may be beneficial to the following:

Community. This study seeks to provide a solution to end the use of

commercial fertilizers that is affecting our environment and health of the people in the

community

Farmers. Agriculture is one of the important departments of a country. It can

help farmers utilize of biodegradable fertilizers and lessening their expenses

Future Researcher. This will be the stepping stone or guide in the conduct of

their research study

Scope and Limitations

This study only focuses on the difference between the Wood Ashes as an

alternative fertilizer and commercial fertilizer. The variables will be used on the sweet

corn plant comprehend the results for further utilization's. This study was conducted

at Caraga Regional Science High-school. This study has only duration of 2 months to

cover the whole processes and procedures.

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 Definition of Terms

Cultivation. It is to nurture and help grow. When you cultivate something,

you work to make it better.

Fertilizer. It is a natural or artificial substance containing the chemical

elements that improve growth and productiveness of plants.

Sweet corn. It is a variety of maize with a high sugar content and it is

prepared for consumption as a vegetable.

Wood Ashes. It is a powdery residue remaining after the combustion of

wood, such as burning wood in a fireplace, bonfire, or an industrial power plant.

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 Review of Related Literature

Wood Ashes

In recent years, the use of wood ashes as a soil enhancement has gained

widespread acceptance as a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers, though data

on how its use might affect maize yield and growth in the face of climate change and

escalating drought severity is still lacking. Additionally, a good source of potassium,

phosphorus, and magnesium are wood ashes. The typical amount of wood ash in

commercialized fertilizer would be 0-1-3 (N-P-K). Wood ash is a good source of

numerous micronutrients in addition to these macronutrients, which are required in

trace amounts for proper plant growth. (Adekayode & Olojugba, 2010;Asare et al.,

2022)

As a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers, wood ash has also gained

widespread acceptance in recent years as a soil amendment. However, there is

currently a lack of information regarding the effects of its application on maize

growth and yield in the context of climate change and increasing drought severity. In

order to explore the effects of soil amendment with wood ash, field and pot trials were

conducted in the current study at the experimental farm of the University of Padova at

Legnaro (NE Italy) in a silty-loam soil. Wood ash comprised acceptable levels of Ca,

K, Mg, P, and S as well as dangerous concentrations of Zn (732 mg kg1), Pb (527 mg

kg1), and Cu (129 mg kg1). The most important finding was a delayed inhibition of

leaf transpiration under artificial progressive water stress, which was especially

evident in the drought-tolerant D24 hybrid and could be maintained by improvements

in root growth in the field throughout the entire 0-1.5 m soil profile in D24 and in the

amended top soil in P1921. So in conclusion Due to morphological and physiological

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advancements, wood ash can be successfully used in maize fertilization to promote

shoot and root growth and drought tolerance, however the greatest advantages are

anticipated to be shown in hybrids that are more tolerant to drought. (Romdhane et

al., 2021)

For your plants, wood ash is a great source of potassium and lime.

Additionally, using ashes in the garden gives plants a lot of the trace elements they

require to thrive. However, wood ash fertilizer works best when it is either lightly

scattered or first composted with your other compost. This is due to the fact that lye

and salts will be produced by moist wood ash. The lye and salt won't be an issue in

little doses, but in bigger doses, they could burn your plants. The lye and salt in

fireplace ashes can be leached out through composting. Different types of wood ash

fertilizers exist. the nutrients and minerals in your wood ash will be substantially

higher if the fireplace ashes in your compost are comprised mostly of hardwoods,

such oak and maple. There will be fewer nutrients and minerals in the fireplace ashes

if the majority of the softwoods in your compost, such pine or fir, were burned to

make the ashes. (Erich, M S, 2019)

Wood ash is a byproduct produced while burning wood for energy. It is a

useful soil amendment because it raises soil pH and has the capacity to supply plant

nutrients. The two experiments covered in this paper were designed to determine how

easily soluble P and K are for plants in wood ash. The uptake of nutrients by soil that

had been fertilized vs soil that had been grown in a greenhouse with wood ash

amendments was studied. Chemical analysis of the wood ashes for total P and K as

well as available P and soluble K content was done using ammonium citrate

extraction. Additionally, after harvest, soils from the P availability study that had been

fertilized with wood ash and fertilizer were extracted using Bray-1, Olsen, and

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NH4OAc solutions. Wood ashes were found to be more equivalent to conventional P

fertilizer sources when the amendments were assessed on the basis of citrate-

extractable P rather than total [Link] amount of K present in ash and fertilizer sources

barely varied whether they were assessed on the basis of total K or citrate-extractable

K. The buffered NH4OAc (pH 3.0) extract could not be used to estimate the K and P

availability of the wood ash-amended soils. It's possible that the buffered solution

dissolved lingering wood ash and released P that plants weren't really able to use.

Both the Bray-1 and the Olsen extract reliably produced the relative measure of P

availability for soils supplied with fertilizer and wood ash. (Erich, M S, 2019)

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 METHODOLOGY

This chapter deals with the research design, methodology, collection of

samples, preparation of set-ups, experimentation, and gathering and analysis of

results.

Figure 1 presents the Flow of the study.

Schematic Diagram

Gathering of Material's

Creating the Wood Ash

Preparing the two set of Soils

Placing the Two Soils in the Pots

Planting of Corn Seedlings

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Observation of Plant Growth
I. Collection of Materials
For the Experiment
Collected woods that were found in the researcher’s residence
12.5g Pack of Sweet Corn Seedlings was bought in the supermarket
Soil was gathered near one of the researcher’s residence.
Used paired of gardening gloves

For the Replication

[Link]

The researchers wore a pair of gloves each to avoid contamination which also serves
as protection for the researchers from any bacteria present in the soil and fertilizer.
The experimentation was conducted in the backyard of the researcher's residence at
Brgy. Togbongon, Surigao City.

[Link] the Wood Ash

The researcher burned the collected wood in the fireplace of the researcher’s
residence until it all turns to ash, and was put in a bucket till further uses.

[Link] the two sets of Soils

The researcher collected the ashes with a bucket and inside the collected wood ashes
was mixed with the collected soil, In another bucket the commercial fertilizer was
mixed with the other set of soil.

[Link] the Two Soils in the Pots

The study contained two setups, At that stage, the researchers placed the 1.5kg wood
ash and 3.5 soil on the first pot which was Set A, while the second pot had the 1kg

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commercial fertilizer and 4kg soil that was Set B. Both sets was watered equally using
a 750ml water bottle and had the same exposure of sunlight each week.

SETUP A - Organic Soil Mixed with Wood ash

SETUP B - Organic Soil Mixed with Commercial fertilizer

[Link] of Corn Seedlings

The researcher placed 3 seedlings in each pot and was 3 cm apart

[Link] of Plant Growth

After all of that, the growth performance of the plant was observed for 2 months.
While only watering them when the soil was completely dry and was given full
exposure to sunlight.

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 CHAPTER III
Results and Discussion

This chapter presents the results, discussion, and personal insights that the
researchers have gathered through the process of investigating the study on
agriculture.

Results

The study included 2 setups, Setup A and Setup B. Setup A was 3.5kg of
Organic Soil Mixed with 1.5kg wood ash to stimulate the growth of the plant to grow
faster. Whilst Setup B was 4kg of Organic Soil Mixed with 1kg of commercial
[Link] results showed that the experimental group (set A) yielded a better and
faster growth rate than the control group (set B).

Graphical Representation of Data shown in a Line Graph

Growth of Corn Plant in a span of 6 Weeks

12 12
11
10 10
9
8
7
6 6
5
4 4

0 0 0
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
Figure 2. Height variation between corn plants grown with Wood-ash Additive
Wood Ash Commercial Fertilizer
and Commercial fertilizer

Based on the results the height of the sweet corn plants increased in direct

proportion to the addition of wood ashes. Whilst the control group, which did not

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receive any wood ashes, had an average height of 8.5cm. In contrast, the sweet corn

plants grown with wood ashes had average heights of 9.8cm, respectively. Both

received the same 750 mL of water and were exposed to the same amount of sunlight

each week. Additionally, a good source of potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium is

wood ashes. Wood ash is a good source of numerous micronutrients in addition to

these macronutrients, which are required in trace amounts for proper plant growth.

Wood ash gives a good growth response to your plant because of the additional

nutrients that the ash contained. For your plants, wood ash is a great source of

nutrients. Utilizing the use of ashes in the garden gives plants a lot of the trace

elements they require to thrive.

3.5 Number of Leaves in a Span of 6 Weeks

Setup A Setup B

Figure 3. Number of Leaves in a span of 6 weeks

Based on the results in the graph it was found that there was no discernible

difference in the quantity of leaves between Set Up A and Set Up B. They are equal in

quantity but in quality Set Up A leaves was more healthier based on color and figure

than Set Up B.

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 Development of Root System Measured in centimeters
Chart Title
9

0
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Wood Ash Commercial Fertilizer

Figure 4. Development of Root System Measured in centimeters

According to the findings, the development of the sweet corn plants' root

systems grew in direct proportion to the addition of wood ashes. Those in the control

group, who did not receive any wood ashes, were on average 4.25cm. In contrast, the

sweet corn plants grown with wood ashes had average of 5.4cm, nevertheless.

Additionally, it was discovered that Setup A's root system was white and firm,

which suggests that the plant's root system is healthy. Unlike Set Up B, which was

arid and brittle.

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 Discussion

The result of the experiment shows that wood ashes can be an effective

additive in increasing the growth of sweet corn plants. The data shows a clear trend of

increasing plant height and better condition of the leaves as the concentration of

wood ashes increased. This is likely due to the high levels of potassium and other

minerals found in wood ashes, which are essential nutrients for plant growth.

The results of this study indicate that plants can survive during the dry season

due to the potassium that can be found in wood ashes. The experiment was carried out

during the course of April and May, the hottest months in the Philippines. Based on

the findings of our research, it has been established that wood ash helps the sweet

corn plant survive throughout the dry season.

It's worth noting that there was a significant difference in plant height and

condition of the leaves between the control group and the groups that received wood

ashes. This suggests that the wood ashes had a significant impact on the growth of the

sweet corn plants. Additionally, the trend of increasing growth with increasing

concentration of wood ashes indicates a dose-response relationship.

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 CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In conclusion, the results of this study support the use of wood ashes as an

effective additive in increasing the growth of sweet corn plants. This has implications

for sustainable agriculture, as wood ashes are a readily available byproduct of wood

burning and can be used as a natural alternative to synthetic fertilizers.

Wood Ash contains a variety of main and minor components that trees require

for growth. Because the majority of these elements are absorbed from the soil and

atmosphere during the tree's growth, they are abundant in our environment and are

also required for crop and forage production. The most abundant element in wood ash

is calcium, which provides the ash qualities similar to agricultural lime. Ash is also

high in potassium, phosphate, and magnesium. The average wood ash would be 0-1-3

(N-P-K). In addition to these macronutrients, wood ash is an excellent source of

numerous micronutrients, which are required in trace levels for proper plant growth.

Wood ash has few components that are harmful to the environment. Heavy metal

concentrations are usually very low. (Huang, H. 2012.)

Recommendations

However, it's important to note that there may be a limit to how much wood

ashes can be added before it becomes detrimental to plant growth. Further studies

could investigate the optimal concentration of wood ashes for maximizing sweet corn

plant growth, as well as any potential negative effects of excessive wood ash

application. A study of a larger group of subjects should be conducted to determine

whether similar results will be accomplished.

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References:

What Do Healthy Plant Leaves Look Like?

Kellogggarden. (2021, July 19). Healthy Leaves, Healthy Plant! Kellogg Garden

OrganicsTM. [Link]

plant/

Read more at Gardening Know How: Importance Of Healthy Roots – What Do Healthy

Roots Look Like Baessler, L., & Baessler, L. (2022, June 28). Importance Of

Healthy Roots – What Do Healthy Roots Look Like. Gardening Know How.

[Link]

[Link]

Best Management Practices for Wood Ash as Agricultural Soil Amendment

Saha, U. K. (n.d.). Best Management Practices for Wood Ash as Agricultural Soil

Amendment. UGA Cooperative Extension.

[Link]

management-practices-for-wood-ash-as-agricultural-soil-amendment

Agronomic effectiveness of wood ash as a source of phosphorus and potassium

Erich, M. S. (2019). Agronomic Effectiveness of Wood Ash as a Source of Phosphorus

and Potassium. Journal of Environmental Quality, 20(3), 576–581.

[Link]

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 DOCUMENTATION

Figure 5. Collection of Materials

Figure 6. Creating the Wood Ash

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 Figure 7. Growth Development of Plant

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