CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter tackles the statistical design used in the study, materials, procedures,

lay-out and data gathering procedures.

Research Locale

The study will be conducted in Abcede St., Sampaloc Quezon at the researchers

place. This is to ensure that the experiment is maintained regularly. The growth chambers

are to be placed at the rooftop to ensure that the area is quiet or in minimal sound.

Experimental Design

A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) will be used in this study. Three

treatments will be used each with three replications and each replication is designated as

one growth chamber. The growth chamber that will be used is sound proof.

Treatments and Replications

The treatments that will be used will show the difference and the possible

advantage of applying sound in organic agriculture.

T1 – No sound will be played throughout the experiment

T2 – 12hours of 50dB sound will be played per day, starting from 6am to 6pm.

T3 – 24hours of 50dB sound will be played per day, constant playing of sound.
Statistical analysis

The data that will be collected will be statistically analyzed by employing the

Analysis of Variance for Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Treatment

means will be compared using Least Significance Difference (LSD) test using 1% and

5% level of significance whenever applicable.

Data to be Gathered

The data to be gathered are the length, weight, number of leaves, quality of

leaves, and color of leaves of each plant. The data are to be recorded and the means of

each parameters of treatment’s plant is to be acquired.

Data Gathering Procedure

Length

The length will be measured using a regular ruler every week. The

measurement will be from the ground soil to the tip of the leaves. This will give

information about the growth of lettuce in terms of size.

Number of Leaves

Number of leaves will be counted manually every week. Only the true leaves

will be counted. This will give use additional information about the increase in the yield

of Lettuce.
Weight

Its weight will be measured after the plants have been harvested, by weighing

each plants’ biomass and will be measured using a regular weighing scale with the units

of grams. The plant should be free of soil when measuring weight.

Quality

Quality of leaves will be noted after the harvest. Good quality means no or

minimal damage and is in right size, and is characterized as marketable.

Color

Color of leaves will also be noted after harvest. It is just to note if there are

any additional or side effect, the sound can render in the plant.

The data are to be listed on a table and will be tallied then each treatment’s mean

of each measurement per week will be recorded. A graph will be included to see the

visible difference between each treatments measurement for length, weight, number of

leaves.

Growth chamber setup

Nine growth chambers will be used in the study. The growth chambers that

will be used are all sound proof. The walls of the growth chambers are 7cm thick. This is

to be sure that other unnecessary noises are excluded and for the condition to be

controlled, since the study focuses on the growth of Lettuce under constant exposure to

sound. The growth chamber is made of wooden planks for the frame; flexi glass for the

roof, rubber mat will be attached to walls and floor for sound absorption and foam as
additional sound absorber. Proper ventilation will be established. The roof of the growth

chambers can be opened for measuring the length of plants and watering of plants can be

done easily.

Cultural Practices

Soil Mixture

In this research the soil that will be use is mixture of loam soil, well

decomposed chicken manure and carbonized rice hull with a ratio of 3:1:1 respectively.

One time mixing of soil will be done to accommodate for all the treatments and

replications. The soil will be pulverized for effective seedling production; this will be

applied for all the treatments. The soil will be sterilized using solar sterilization to

minimize bacterial rot. Amount of soil that will be used will be the same for each

treatment. The pot that will be used has a circumference of 40cm measured from the mid

part and the opening of the pot has a diameter of 14cm.

Seeds

The seeds that will be used are Romaine Lettuce Lyon variety. An amount of

1080 seeds will be used in the study, 360 seeds per treatment, 8 per pot. The seedlings are

to be thinned (healthiest seedling will remain per pot) and only 135 seedlings will be

selected, 45 per each treatment and subdivided to 15 seeds as replications.

The research will begin from seeds. Treatment 1 will have no sound while

treatment 2 and 3 will have sound as the seeds germinate. The seeds will be planted

directly in the pot. Pulverize the soil, wet the soil before sowing. Soak the seeds 4 hours

in warm water for four hours, air dry then sow thinly. Make shallow holes of same depth

for each. Place the seeds and cover with soil lightly. Water the seedlings early in the

morning and late afternoon. Shading will be provided if the sunlight is too hot. The

seedlings are to be thinned for only one seedling will remain per pot. The healthiest

seedling in a pot will remain.

Watering

The plants will be regularly watered everyday early in the morning 6:30 am

and in the afternoon 5:30 pm. Amount of water that will be used in each plant pot is

identical with each other. The right amount will be varied from the weather and

temperature. 100ml of water will be used each watering and a total of 200ml per day, this

is enough and will reach the bottom of the roots of lettuce. The way to determine if the

plant is getting enough water is to see if the water reaches the bottom of the pot or at least

deep enough for the roots of the lettuce. This can be tested by penetrating a long stick

vertically to the soil; if the stick is wet to the tip then the plant can get enough water.

Pest and Diseases Management

Pest and Diseases are minimized since the plants are inside growth chambers,

but if there is Semi-looper or Aphids found they should not be picked as there is a

controlled environment and picking may consider bias unto other treatment.
Sound Piece

There will be forty five pots per growth chamber and one Lettuce plant per

pot. The sound piece that will be used is a classical music which is “Canon In D” by

Johann Pachelbel which is played by Jorgen Ernst Hansen of Societas Musical Chamber

Orchestra at 50dB for treatment 2 and 3.

Termination of the Experiment

The experiment will be terminated after 45-60 days or when the first

treatment of Lettuce has reached its maturity.