Department of Education
Region VII, Central Visayas
City of Bogo Senior High School
Cogon, Bogo City, Cebu
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CARDAVA BANANA (Musa acuminata x balbisiana) PEELS AS A
SOIL PH NEUTRALIZER
Researchers:
Alivio, Kirk Therence V.
Arnoco, Everil Faith A.
Christian, Jaylou B.
Tumbaga, Jheceryl E.
Vargas, April Anne D.
Villamor, Jhave Eljhon P.
CHAPTER 1
Background of the Study
Soil acidity is a major issue in agricultural production systems currently affecting roughly 30% of
global land surfaces and approximately 50% of the world’s arable soils (Kunhikrishan et al., 2016). It is
one of the major factors that limit the productivity of many tropical soils. Naturally, soils tend to become
acidic because of the leaching mechanism of carbonic acid (CO2 dissolved in rainwater). Acidification
continues until a balance is reached between removal and replacement. Basic cations such as calcium
(Ca) and magnesium (Mg), which are significant portions of nutrients in crops are removed and exported
through leaching and when a crop is harvested but at the same time, these bases are replaced due to
organic matter decomposition and from the weathering of minerals (“Effects of Manure,” 2013). The
major causes for soils to become acidic are high rainfall and leaching, acidic parent material, organic
matter decay, harvest of high-yielding crops and nitrification of ammonium (Zhang, 2017). In time,
excessive rainfall leaches the soil profile's basic elements (calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium)
that prevent soil acidity.
Historically, liming is the most common management practice used to neutralize soil acidity.
Most plants grow well in the pH range 5.5–7.0, and the usual objective of liming programs is to maintain
pH in this range. Application of lime may enhance the physical, chemical, and biological properties of
soil through its direct effect on the amelioration of soil acidity and through its indirect effects on the
immobilization of toxic heavy metals, mobilization of plant nutrients, development of soil structure, and
improvement of hydraulic conductivity (Chowdhury et al., 2021). These conventional liming materials
are scarce, very expensive, and beyond the reach of resource-poor farmers. Also, the effect of liming on
adjusting soil pH only last for a short time, and it will be repeated in the next crop season or year.
However, the International Journal of Advanced Research in Chemical Science (2018), stated that banana
peels contain minerals or the elements such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium that prevent
soil acidity. In addition to this, it is highlighted in an article by Gardening KnowHow that, “Putting
banana peel in your compost pile will help add calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphates, potassium, and
sodium, all of which are important to the healthy growth of both flowering and fruiting plants. Bananas
and banana peels in compost also help add healthy organic soil, which helps the compost retain water and
make the soil lighter when added to your garden.”
The City of Bogo in Cebu is a place that has plenty of farmers. Soil acidity is an issue knowing
that having a good quality of soil plays a crucial role among the farmers. Acidic soils cause significant
losses in production and where the choice of crops is restricted to acid tolerant species and varieties,
profitable market opportunities may be reduced. In pastures grown on acidic soils, production will be
reduced and some legume species may fail to persist. Low soil pH reduces the supply of secondary
macronutrients. Furthermore, soil nutrient sources such as organic and inorganic fertilizers by plants
require an adequate pH for optimum plant growth and productivity (Current Research in Agricultural
Sciences 8 (2), 71-79, 2021). In the natural environment, soil pH has an enormous influence on soil
biogeochemical processes. Soil pH is, therefore, described as the “master soil variable” that influences
myriads of soil's biological, chemical, and physical properties and processes that affect plant growth and
biomass yield (Applied and Environmental Soil Science, 2019).
From the foregoing, it is clear that soil acidity is one of the factors that greatly affect the
productivity of soil to support plant growth. Having soil that has an optimal pH range for most plants will
allow the farmers to develop better harvests. Thus, the objective of the present study is to assess the
efficacy of Cardava Banana (Musa acuminata x balbisiana) peels as a soil pH neutralizer.
Statement of the Problem
The study aims to determine whether Cardava Banana (Musa acuminata x balbisiana) peels are
effective in neutralizing the soil pH. Specifically, this study seeks and aims to answer the following:
1. What is the significance of using Cardava Banana peels as a soil pH neutralizer based on:
(a) pH level
(b) nutrient content?
2. Will the amount of Cardava Banana peels affect the level of soil’s pH and nutrient content?
3. How does the use of Cardava Banana peels help in utilizing a huge amount of untapped biomass and
resolving some of the environmental issues?
Significance of the Study
The study aims to come up with a Banana Peel as a Soil Neutralizer that will evaluate the quality
of the soil acidity considering that it plays an important role among the farmers. Due to deficiencies of
major plant nutrients often occurring in acidic soil that affects plant growth, the study will benefit the
farmers, especially the Bogohanons by promoting plant growth that leads to increased crop income and
improved lawn and garden performance. The contribution of the study could highly benefit the growing
economic status of the local government if the continuous growth of the plant producers can be supplied
nationwide.
Scope and Limitations
This study aims to know the effectiveness of Cardava Banana (Musa acuminata x balbisiana)
peels as soil pH neutralizer.
Specifically, this study only focuses in utilizing huge amount of untapped biomass and resolving
some of the environmental issues in Bogo City.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are further defined either operationally or conceptually.
Arable soil - is any land capable of being ploughed and used to grow crops.
Acidification - is a process where the soil pH decreases over time.
pH - is a measure of how acidic/basic water is. The range goes from 0 - 14, with 7 being neutral.
Soil acidity - is a condition in which the soil pH is lower than a neutral pH (less than 7).
Cardava bananas - also spelled cardaba or kardaba, is a triploid hybrid banana cultivar originating from
the Philippines.
Neutralizer - is a substance or material used in the neutralization of acidic water.
Nutrient content - is a statement about the amount of a nutrient found in a food.
International Journal of Advanced Research in Chemical Science (IJARCS) - is an internationally
peer reviewed academic journal that publishes recent advancements in the field of Chemical Science and
Research.
Liming - is the application (to soil) of calcium- and magnesium-rich materials in various forms, including
marl, chalk, limestone, burnt lime or hydrated lime.
Biomass - the total mass of organisms in a given area or volume.
Ash - the grey or black powdery substance that is left after something is burnt.
Biochar - is the lightweight black residue, made of carbon and ashes, remaining after the pyrolysis of
biomass.
CHAPTER 2
Review of Related Literature
Soil
Soil offers ecosystems that are essential for life: soil serves as the foundation for planting crops
and flowers for income and commerce, it is used as a growing medium, and it contributes to biodiversity.
Soil filters water and supplies nutrients to our forests and crops. Soil health is vital in fertilizing soil
because the pH of the soil controls the kind of nutrients present in the soil for the plant to absorb and
consume. When soil becomes overly acidic, minerals and nutrients such as zinc, aluminum, copper,
manganese, and cobalt become present, and these minerals are soluble, making them harmful to plants
when consumed in excess. Meanwhile, alkaline soil may contain high concentrations of bicarbonate ions,
which might interfere with plant growth by interfering with the absorption of other ions.
Components
This product contains the following ingredients: phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, and calcium.
Phosphorus is one of the four essential nutrients for plant growth: magnesium (Mg), nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). It is essential for photosynthesis, respiration, energy storage and
transfer, cell division, and cell expansion in plant cells.
Nitrogen (N) in the soil is essential for plants growing on top of it; it is a major component of
chlorophyll, which is responsible for providing energy to plants.
Potassium (K) is an essential nutrient for plant growth. It is associated with the movement of
water, nutrients, and carbohydrates in the plant as it aids in the production of ATP to regulate the rate of
photosynthesis. It can also aid in the regulation of stomatal opening and closing, increased root growth,
plant turgidity, and the retardation of plant disease. Potassium is also alkaline, which can cause pH
changes.
Magnesium (Mg) is essential for maintaining soil pH levels. According to articles, banana peels
contain the majority of magnesium. When we add magnesium to the soil, it is taken by the plants and
used to make chlorophyll.
Applying banana peel extracts to enhance soil pH for soil neutralization. Using the peels helps to
balance the pH of both setups. Because soil is acidic, the pH of the soil might decrease.
Soil acidity is also an economic concern in the environment. pH levels are measured in pH units;
pH levels are a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in a material's solution. The higher the
acidity, the lower the pH. The pH is measured on a logarithmic scale from 7 to 4, with 7 being neutral.
The researchers proposed using banana (Musa acuminata) peels to change the pH of soils.
Stabilizing Cd and Pb
Yong Sik Ok and his Korean colleagues recommended a study on the utilization of natural and
calcined oyster shells in adjacent abandoned mines as a soil pH stabilizer. Yong Sik Ok and his Korean
colleagues used natural oyster shell powder to treat cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) contaminated soil in
their investigation. However, oyster shell is a liming material since it contains calcium carbonate
(CaCO3). The effects of oyster shells on soil acidity and alkalinity are opposite. It supplies a source of
aluminum in areas where it can be harmful at high amounts in highly acidic soils.
Meanwhile, the researchers have concluded that banana (Musa acuminata) peels are better for the
soil. Magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, and sodium are four components that can assist neutralize soil pH
levels more healthily. One of the most important characteristics of these components is that they are not
liming agents, which are more detrimental to soil and cement. Banana ( Musa acuminata) peels are an
alternate pH stabilization method for neutralizing acidity.
Local Studies
A study was undertaken at Diliman University in Quezon City, Metro Manila, on rice husk ash as
an alternative soil stabilizer. Using the rice husk ash components of potassium, magnesium, sodium, and
calcium. The researchers examined clay soil samples to boost the soil's capacity for strength.
Determining which type of soil stabilization is the best answer for a certain soil problem, the proponents
came up with the exact ratio to be applied in the soil after thorough research.
Other researchers investigate the strength of stabilized soil using lime and rice husk ash, as well
as the influence of molding water content and lime content. The strength earned of stabilized soils is
determined by factors other than the type and quantities of the soil stabilizers and curing time, but also by
the water quantity required to keep the processes going. The reaction between lime-RHA and soil is
pozzolanic. Eades and Grim's Method is used to calculate the amount of lime necessary for stabilization.
It demonstrated that the water content influences the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of
unstabilized and stabilized soils. The UCS of stabilized soils dropped as the molding water content
increased, but it remains greater than that of unstabilized soils. In general, the higher the lime content, the
higher the UCS. At a lime/RHA ratio of 1/2, the stabilized soil reaches its maximum strength. It rose
around 7-9 times to the unstabilized UCS. Manipulation of cement, lime, and/or fly ash is commonly used
to chemically change usable table soils into structurally solid foundations. The rice husk is a significant
agricultural byproduct obtained from the rice field crop. The addition of fly ash and RHA reveals ductile
behavior linked with higher strain and low soil stabilization using lime and RHA indicated that soil
strength increased by 400% by adding 24 percent lime. A combination of 40% lime and 60% RHA
improves the attributes of expansive clay soils, including swelling potential, which is reduced to less than
1%. The hydrated lime was used as a stabilizing factor in this study. The main chemical ingredient of
lime is calcium hydroxides [Ca(OH)2]. The other stabilizing ingredient is RHA. In this study, only gray-
colored ashes were used, and the soil were frequently mixed. In this experiment, the soil is combined with
a specified amount of sand.
Biochar
The researchers have read studies that use the implication of biochar in soil. One study employed
orange peels and sugar cane bagasse to lower Pb and As levels in a metal smelter-contaminated soil. The
method was carried out in a small-scale biochar plant (0–10% w/w). The soil aggregate stability, water
resilient capacity, cation exchange, and N- status improved with the addition of orange peels and sugar
cane bagasse. Moreover, as the immobility of Pb was reduced, the soil pH increased. Banana peels, on the
other hand, can drain hazardous minerals while simultaneously maintaining soil stability.
Ash
An experimental study added rice husk ash, lime, and gypsum to the expansive soil, which
resulted in significant increases in the expansive soil's strength characteristics. The researchers of
"Stabilization of Expansive Soil with Rice Husk Ash, Lime, and Gypsum" studied the creative foundation
techniques that have been established as a response to the problem of expansive soils as they thought
about their study. The sand cushion technique, cohesive non-swelling (CNS) layer technique, and under-
reamed piles are said to be the most common. The stabilization of expanding clay with various additions
has also been very successful. Expansive soils are a problem that has been documented throughout the
world. They drink water during the rain and swell during the summer. As water evaporates from the area,
it shrinks. Lightly loaded civil engineering structures such as residential buildings, pavements, and canal
linings are badly damaged as a result of this alternative swelling and shrinkage. As a result, it is vital to
mitigate the issues caused by expanding soils.
Applying Lime to Raise Soil pH for Crop Production
Soil acidification is a decrease in soil pH that is caused by crop production practices that use
nitrogen (N) fertilizers such as urea, ammonium sulfate, or other ammonium-N fertilizers. The addition of
lime raises the pH of the soil (reduces acidity), adds calcium (Ca) and/or magnesium (Mg), and decreases
the solubility of Al and Mn in the soil. The efficiency of liming materials varies. The carbonate (calcium
or magnesium carbonate) in conventional agile reacts with soil acidity to neutralize it. Liming materials
move only very slowly into the soil without incorporation. Tillage increases the efficiency of all lime
elements by incorporating them into the rooting zone. Lime is applied and either left on the soil surface or
assimilated. In the absence of tillage, soil pH improves only in the top inch or two of soil because lime's
poor solubility requires the liming material to come into contact with acidic soil before reacting and
changing soil pH.
The addition of a liming substance reverses soil acidification. Liming materials are Ca and/or Mg
oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, and silica. To neutralize soil acidity (H), the anion in liming materials
(chemically speaking, a "base") reacts with it. The addition of a liming substance reverses soil
acidification. Their quick reaction speed creates the possibility of raising pH above the crop's maximum
value.
Soil Acidification
Depending on the goal, lime can be used to treat the soil to varied degrees. To dry and
temporarily change soils, the least amount of treatment is used. Soils can be treated with lime in the form
of quicklime (calcium oxide – CaO), hydrated lime [calcium hydroxide – Ca(OH)2], or lime. Calcium
carbonate (limestone - CaCO3) is chemically transformed into calcium oxide to produce quicklime. When
quicklime chemically combines with water, it produces hydrated lime. The majority of lime used for soil
remediation is "high calcium" lime, which includes less than 5% magnesium oxide or hydroxide. The
term "lime" refers to agricultural lime, which is often finely powdered limestone that serves as a valuable
soil supplement but is not chemically active enough to result in soil stabilization.
Because lime can be used to treat the soil to varied degrees, the first step in considering soil
treatment alternatives is to define the goal. In general, stability requires more lime and more extensive
processing, which includes partially crushing the soil, adding water, and mixing. Advantages of Dry
Quicklime: Quicklime is more economical than hydrated lime because it is a more concentrated type of
lime with 20 to 24 percent greater "available" lime oxide content. When conditions allow full hydration of
the quicklime with suitable moisture, around 3% quicklime is equivalent to 4% hydrated lime. The
exothermic reaction generated by water and quicklime has the potential to warm the soil. To neutralize
soil acidity, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, and calcium carbonate can be applied.
Theoretical Background
Silva, Nonato, Simeon, et al., (2021) stated that Mung bean shoot and root growth under wood
ash as a soil acidity neutralizer Eucalyptus wood ash can be a bio-rationale, economically viable, source
of fertilizer, to neutralize soil acidy, and contribute to minimizing costs for small farmers who produce
mung beans [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] which has a considerable cost of production. The objective was
to evaluate the wood ash amendment to the soil and its effects on changing pH and as a fertilizer for
mung beans. Amounts of wood ash were 0, 9, 18, 27, 36 or 45 g∙dm−3 in the Oxisol. Wood ash can be
used as neutralizer and fertilizer, improving the growth of shoots and roots with doses between 21 and 27
g•dm-^3.
Mon Hu Jung, Won Hyun Ji, Jin Soo Lee, In Jae Yang (2020) the objectives of this study were to
select amendments through analysis soil and uptake to Chinese silver grass ( Miscanthus sinensis) for
phytostabilization in contaminated soil. M. sinensis was cultivated for 6 months at contaminated osoil
with several soil treatments (bottom ash 1 and 2%, fly ash 1 and 2%, waste lime+ oyster 1 and 2%, acid
mine drainage sludge (AMDS) 10 and 20%, compost 3.4%, and control).
G.S.P Ritchie (1989) stated the chemical behavior of Aluminum, Hydrogen, and Manganese in
Acid Soils. Soil acidity decreases plant growth in many ways (e.g. deficiencies of phosphorus,
molybdenum, calcium or toxicities of aluminum, manganese or hydrogen ions), but toxicities have been
recognized as one of the most common causes of reduced yields. This chapter, therefore, will consider the
chemical behavior of aluminum, manganese and hydrogen ions in relation to their toxic effects on plant
growth, but not with respect to their effects on then availability of other nutrients.
This study is anchored from the theoretical support of the application methods of banana peels in
the garden by (Stephen, 2016), where it showed that banana peels could change the pH of soil. The study
stated that by putting the banana peel inside an oven at 105C for 45 minutes until it breaks easily, doing
this removes some of the nitrogen content in the peels. Once the peels have dried, crush them to increase
the surface area, it will release the nutrients from within as it breaks down faster. As you apply the dried
peels to the soil make sure apply them evenly throughout the mulch layer, this method works better when
the peels are grinded into a fine powder.
Two other methods stated in the study is the hot compost where you join together the banana
peels and your kitchen scraps and yard wastes to your compost pile and the pH will neutralize over time.
And the vermicompost method involves a worm farm where when you add the banana peels together with
the kitchen scraps as food for the worms, the bacteria and worms will eventually neutralize the pH.
