The Effects of Rotten Food and Rice Water as Fertilizer on the Growth of

Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum)

A Science Investigatory Project

Presented to The

Faculty of Leonides S. Virata Memorial School

Rio Tuba, Bataraza, Palawan

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for Grade 8

Terdi Onah Kaeizi M. Jarina

Koulin Zameera M. Hadjerel

Lorriene Jade C. Cruz

Dessa Mae L. Contreras

AL-Hadzmain S. Seradje

Shayne B. Venturillo

October, 2022
 Acknowledgement
We would like to take this opportunity to thank some of the people who have contributed
greatly to the development of this project.

The Science teacher, Ms. Vanessa Jean D. Araez, is greatly appreciated by the researchers,
for the direction, assistance, inspiration, and support she gave throughout the project study.
Despite having a very hectic schedule, she has always been kind and patient enough to listen
to us and correct our work.

Additionally, we thank Mr. Esrin H. Depong (Mathematics subject teacher), Mrs. Kareen
Grace T. Miano (English subject teacher), and Mrs. Roselyn E. Aquino (Computer subject
teacher) for the comments, suggestions, and assistance they provided whenever needed.
Without the cooperation of all the teachers involved in this project, it could not have been
finished.

We spread our sincere gratitude to our parents, the librarians, and our fellow students.

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 Abstract

Chinese Evergreen, botanically dubbed as Aglaonema, is a recognized genus of

flowering plants in the Arum family. Astoundingly, Chinese Evergreens are perennials in

nature. This was supported by the study of Freeden (n.d.) which concluded that this plant can

live for as long as 10 years or so, when you constantly provide the right care in its

environment. This is important to take note of as Chinese Evergreen is found to be one

among the best foliage plants that cleanses air from toxins and pollutants such as benzene and

formaldehyde (Loughrey, 2022). Furthermore, while this plant is known to be commonly

placed indoors, a study by Coulter (n.d.) concluded that it can also survive outside year-round

in varieties of pots concentrated acidically with fertilizers and amendments. In fact, they are

known to best grow during summer. Having said this, it would be a perfect plant option for

the school to take into consideration for the beautification of its premises, not only because of

its foliage and survivability as a plant, but as well as its benefits as an organic air-filter.

Moreover, in today’s time there are two types of fertilizer used by rural farmers, organic and

inorganic, which both provide essential elements for plant nutrition and healthy growth of

crops. However, argued by the study of Kate Russel (n.d.) that spoiling fruit makes a great

addition to a compost pile that acts as a fertilizer for plants. This is because as rotting fruit

decomposes, the nutrients become readily available to plants as food. Therefore, the study’s

objective also covers the problem of spoiled foods and rice water being just wasted and

disposed of without the good use of recycling these. That is why, with the apparent need for

an organic fertilizer to promote growth among Chinese Evergreen plants in outdoors and also

the fact that this plant can be a great addition to the aesthetics of the premises around the

school that can be done creatively by students themselves, the aim of this study is to

determine the significant effects of rotten food and rice water as fertilizers on the growth of
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Chinese Evergreen.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page…………………………………………………………………………...………… I

Acknowledgement……………………………………...…………………………………… II

Abstract……………………………………...……………………………………………… III

Table of Contents…………………………………………….……………………………IV

Chapter I
Introduction…………………………………………………………………...……………...V

Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………………V

Significance of the Study……………………………………………………………………VI

Scope and Delimitation of the Study………………………………………………………VII

Definition of Terms………………………………………………………………...………
VIII

Chapter II
Review of Related Literature and Studies Related Literature…………………………...IX

Chapter III
Methodology…………………………………………………………………………………XI

Chapter IV
Presentation of Data, Analysis, and Interpretation of Data………………………….…. XIII

Chapter V
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations……………...……………………………. XIV

Bibliography……………………………………………………………………...…………XV
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 CHAPTER I

Introduction
Chinese evergreen, also known as aglaonema commutatum, is an evergreen perennial that

resembles dieffenbachia (dumb cane) in appearance. It generally reaches a height of 20".

Thick, elliptic to lance-shaped leaves with attractive silver-gray blotches that are up to 4-8"

long and 2-3" wide are found on erect, occasionally branching stems. It rarely blooms when

used as a houseplant. Typically, in late summer to early fall, axillary flowers (characteristic

of the arum family) have a tiny creamy white spadix encased by a pale green spathe. The

flowers are followed by clusters of red berries. The Greek words aglaos, which means bright

or clear, and nema, which refers to a thread in reference to the stamens, are the source of the

genus name. Specific epithet denotes form change. Become a houseplant in the St. Louis

region prefers well-lit indirect or diffused sunlight. Place out of the direct sun a peaty, well-

drained potting mix from spring to fall, there is constant rainfall does not require winter

dormancy, yet it values the time off. From early fall through late winter, cut back on

irrigation. Keep soils from drying out. This houseplant is tolerant of air dryness and moderate

shade. Normal room temperature with a recommended wintertime minimum of 60°F.

Statement of the Problem

This research will provide answers to the following questions:

1. Is there any significant difference in the growth observation of Chinese Evergreen

using the mixture as fertilizer in terms of:

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a. no. of leaves

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 b. plant height

2. What is the difference of the control and experimental group in terms of its:

a. Average no. of leaves

b. Average plant height

Significance of the Study

School- This study may lead student and teachers to use healthy Chinese evergreen to

beautify the campus surroundings.

Students- Through this study, students would learn to utilize kitchen waste as fertilizers for

the Chinese evergreen.

Environment- This study would benefit the environment as it helps to fight food waste

pollution. It helps to improve the air quality of your indoor spaces with the ability to filter

indoor air pollutants and toxins.

Community- This study may be a basis for advocacies and societal movement against food

waste pollution as it presents a right way to use kitchen wastes.

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Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This research began on October 2022, with the effects of rotten food and rice water as

composts on the growth of Chinese evergreens being the subject of this research.

The materials and equipments to be used are rock and pebbles, a trowel, pen, paper, ruler, as

well as a Chinese Evergreen plant, soil, rice water, rotten fruit and vegetables, and water.

The procedure in which is to be followed on this research would be to examine and clean the

area, make a fertilizer using a compost for the experimental group, measure the area and

divide it into two; the lower area for the control group and the upper area for the experimental

group, dig a hole of 3-4 inches for the replacement of the plants, place three Chinese

Evergreen plant for the control group and three for the experimental group, place the plant in

the center of the hole and cover it by putting the soil back, water the plants of the same

amount, observe the plants every week to investigate on its growth, measure its height and

count the number of leaves, then finally, transfer the recorded data from the Chinese

Evergreens //// growth on the given table.

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Definition of Terms

Rotten- If food, wood, or another substance is rotten, it has decayed and can no longer be

used. (collinsdictionary.com, 2023)

Fertilizer- According to collinsdictionary.com, Fertilizer is a substance such as solid animal

waste or a chemical mixture that you spread on the ground in order to make plants grow more

successfully.

Decaying- Rotting as a result of bacterial, fungal, or chemical action; decomposing.

(collinsdictionary.com, 2023)

Malnutrition- If someone is suffering from malnutrition, they are physically weak and

extremely thin because they have not eaten enough food. (collinsdictionary.com, 2023)

Plant- A plant is living thing that grows in the earth and has a stem, leaves, and roots.

(collinsdictionary.com, 2023)

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 CHAPTER II

Review of Related Literature and Studies Related Literature

But will rotten fruit make good fertilizer? Rotten fruit can be used as fertilizer, but you

either need to bury it deep in the soil or add it to the compost pile. You can also make liquid

fertilizer from rotten fruit. (gardeningmentor.com, 2023)

You can add moldy food (vegetables and fruits only) to a backyard composting bin

anytime. Mold cells are just one of the many different types of microorganisms that take care

of decomposition and are fine in a backyard bin. If you're using a worm bin, you must be a bit

more careful. Some molds that form in the low temperatures of the refrigerator can create

weak antibiotic compounds. The mold cells use these compounds to keep other

microorganisms away from their food supply, however, when worms eat these compounds,

they may kill some or all the beneficial (and essential) microorganisms that are in the worms'

digestive system and this can cause the worms to become sick and die. The molds that form

on most vegetables are usually okay, but the molds on some fruit and bread can be

problematic. If you're in doubt, try a small amount first and see if the worms are bothered by

it. If not, then it's probably okay to use it, otherwise, you should put them into your backyard

bin instead. (lacounty.gov.com,2023)

According to thrivingyard.com, composting rotting fruits and vegetables: In general,

rotten fruits and vegetables are safe to put in a compost pile. However, there are exceptions,

so we should be familiar with the signs of an unsafe compost ingredient.

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 Vegetable peels such as green leftovers, citrus rind, broccoli stalks and potato peels

have nutrients that, when added to the soil of your garden, can provide vitamin A and C to

your plants. (dependablepickup.com, 2023)

The effects of rice water on plants is attributed to the nutrient available in the rice water when

added. The plant will readily absorb the minerals from the rice water, while the bacteria in the

soil will break down the carbohydrates into simple nutrients for the plant to use. The result is

increased plant growth and fruit production. You don’t have to use the rice and throw it away.

Rice water can be obtained by a product of your everyday cooking routine and it reduces

waste by reusing the remnants of the rice from washing or soaking.

Rice water can be made from either washing the rice grains or from straining the excess water

out after the rice is boiled, as previously explained.

These are the two methods commonly used for obtaining rice water:

a. Rice water from Washing or Soaking. Soaking is one of the quickest ways to make

rice water as it just entails placing the rice into some water to soak.

b. Rice water from Boiling. Rice water obtained from boiling would contain more

nutrients than the water obtained from washing. This is because the heat from boiling

causes more nutrients from the rice to be leached into the water.

c. Rice water is beneficial for plants, because it contains a small amount of fertilizer,

NPK, which are the essential nutrients needed by all plants and would have a

favorable effect on any garden by accelerating plant growth and increasing crop

production. (flourishingplants.com, 2023)

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 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Materials

The materials and equipments to be used are rock and pebbles, a trowel, pen, paper, ruler, as

well as a Chinese Evergreen plant, soil, rice water, rotten fruit and vegetables, and water.

Procedures

The researchers started the experiment by examining and cleaning the area, making a

fertilizer with compost for the experimental group, and dividing the area into two. For each

group, we dig a hole for about 3-4 inches deep to place the three Chinese Evergreen plants.

After filling the hole back with soil and watering them with the same amount of water, we

observed and took note of the growth of the plants each week. This included measuring its

heights and counting the number of leaves. The data was recorded in the form of a table to

compare the results of the control and the experimental group. After several weeks, the

results of the experiment were obvious, the plants that were given the fertilizer were much

healthier and bigger than the plants in the control group.

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Picture 1: Vegetable peels such as carrot peels and wrinkled cabbage leaves are used as

fertilizers.

Picture 2: Rice water to be used as our fertilizer.

Picture 3: Picture of the given area for this study.

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Picture 4: Picture of the plant that will be used for this

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 CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION OF DATA, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF

DATA

Table 1. Height of the Plants (cm) and Number of Leaves

Week Number Control Group Experimental Group

C1 C2 C3 Average E1 E2 E3 Average
Number
of 6 6 5 5.66 8 6 7 7
Week 1

Leaves
Height of 15 12 15 15 17 17
14 cm 16.33 cm
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
4 1 3 2.26 1 4 3 2.66
Week 2

of Leaves
Height of 15 12 15 15 17 17
14 16.33
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
3 1 5 3 2 5 4 3.66
Week 3

of Leaves
Height of 17 17c 17 19 17
17cm 17 17.66
Plant cm m cm cm cm
Number
3 2 5 3.33 2 5 4 3.66
Week 4

of Leaves
Height of 17 20 19 19 19 17
18.66 18.33
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
4 3 6 4.33 0 3 5 2.66
Week 5

of Leaves
Height of 17 20 21 5 19 19
19.33 14.332
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
2 3 5 3.33 0 3 5 2.66
Week 6

of Leaves
Height of 20 22 25 6 22 22
22.33 16.66
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
2 3 5 3.33 1 4 5 3.33
Week 7

of Leaves
Height of 24 23 27 6 22 26
24.66 18
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
2 2 5 3 1 4 5 3.33
Week 8

of Leaves
Height of 27 27 30 28 7 27 30 21.33
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Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm

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 Number
4 1 4 3 0 4 4 2.66
Week 9

of Leaves
Height of 18 29 39 8 33 25
28.66 22
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
Week 13 Week 12 Week 11 Week 10

2 1 1 1 0 2 2 1
of Leaves
Height of 15 13 25 4 22.5 23.5
17.66 16.66
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
2 1 1 1 0 3 5 2.6
of Leaves
Height of 22 21.75 21.37 6.35 29.2 31.75
21.7 22.4
Plant cm cm cm cm 1 cm cm
Number
11 11 4 8 6 7 7 6
of Leaves
Height of 20 21 17 20.5 15 21
19.3 18.8
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
11 12 4 9 8 8 9 8
of Leaves
Height of 21 21 18 21 16 21.7
20 19.5
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm
Number
Week 14

12 13 5 10 9 9 9 9
of Leaves
Height of 22 22 19 23 18 23
21 21
Plant cm cm cm cm cm cm

The data in the table were gathered from week 1 to week 13. The table shows the

weekly changes in the height and number of leaves of Aglaonema commutatum. Our table

also indicated the average. The observations that the researchers have gathered on the growth

of the plants and number of leaves from week 1 to 13 would the noticeable difference of the

height between the experimental group and control groups. Furthermore, variables like

extreme heat exposure and irregular watering that are outside our study, have caused the

death of plants eventually.

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 According to ncc.gov.ph Aside from just simply watering your plants, rice water can

also be used as fertilizers to increase crop production and for the healthy growth of plants.

And rice water also contains many B vitamins that are critical for plant health and growth.

Overall, rice water has been found to have comparable nutrient contents as standard

inorganic fertilizer (outdoorhappens) In accordance to www.indiatoday.in, food waste is

composed of organic matter which can be used for composting to make fertilizer. It is an

effective and eco-friendly way of disposing of food waste in your kitchen. Like yard

waste, food waste scraps can also be composted. Composting these wastes creates a product

that can be used to help improve soils, grow the next generation of crops, and improve water

quality. www.epa.gov. With the information acquired from the site www.epa.gov, the

researchers were able to conclude that like yard waste, food waste scraps can also be

composted. Composting these wastes creates a product that can be used to help improve soils,

grow the next generation of crops, and improve water quality.

Based on the observations and data gathered over the course of 13 weeks, it can be

concluded that the experimental group only yielded little positive results in terms of plant

growth and survival. Despite some initial differences with the control group, the plants in

both groups eventually started to show signs of decay and ultimately died. Although one leaf

managed to grow and survive for a short period in the 12th, it was not enough to salvage the

experiment. The decision to replace the plants with the same kind and repeat the experiment

with the chosen fertilizers for the second batch of the experimental group shows the

researchers commitment in finding factors that affected the survival of plants. Continuing the

experiment, now, with proper shade and care for the plants.
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Graph 1: Average Plant Height

Average Plant Height

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14

Control Group Experimental Group

The first graph showcases the average plant height of the Chinese Evergreens with its

respective week.
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Graph 2: Average no. of Leaves

Average no. of Leaves

20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14

Control Group Experimental Group

The second graph showcases the average no. of leaves of the Chinese Evergreens with its

respective week.
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 CHAPTER V

Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation

Summary

The aim of this research is to be able to identify whether the rice water and rotten fruit or

vegetables as fertilizers will have an effect on the growth of the Chinese Evergreens, also

known as Aglaonema Commutatum. The questions that need to be answered for this research

would be if there will be any significant difference in the growth observation as well as if the

study of this can promote the implementation of wasted food and rice water through the

production of organic compost. The course of action we have done for this research to be

compromised is dividing the plants in two groups, which we named the control group and the

experimental group. As we have done the course of action, we have begun on observing and

gathering the data recorded from the growth of the plants, resulting in some beneficial

findings for both the researchers and the community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the researchers have found out that there is only a little significant difference

in the growth of aglaonema commutatum fertilized by the compost, in terms of both the

number of leaves and the height of the plant, when compared to the growth of the control

group. Furthermore, variables like extreme heat exposure and irregular watering that are

outside our study, have caused the death of plants eventually and therefore, the researchers
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want to recommend these crucial survival factors for future studies. Thus, in case of future

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plans in beautifying the campus, researchers recommend placing Chinese evergreen on areas

that are not under direct sunlight. Nonetheless, the study, with the results, can still be a basis

to promote the recycling of wasted food and rice water for teachers and students of LSVMS.

Recommendation

Future Researchers

-The researchers advise our future researchers to utilize rotten food and rice water to help

their plants develop and be healthy. This could assist the future researchers in maintaining

their observations and help them achieve successful research outcomes.

Farmers

-As a researcher, we recommend our farmers to utilize rice water and rotten foods to maintain

the health of their plants as part of our recommendation. The three essential nutrients that all

plants need—nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—are all present in adequate amounts in

rice water and rotten foods.

Community

-The researchers strongly advise everyone in our community to use rice water and rotten

foods as a fertilizer as part of our recommendation. In addition to being distinctive, it

provides a lot of nutrients that help the Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum) grow

strong and healthy. The best results for your plant will definitely come using rice water and

rotten foods.
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Bibliography

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