Floating gardens: growing food in flood prone areas
2013
Dimaano, V.T. | Corales, R.G. | Quilang, E.J.P. | Rivera, J.M. | Corpuz, A.A. | Alosnos, E.D. | Orge, R.F.
Flooding is a significant climate-related problem in the Philippines affecting the livelihood of the farming population. To augment the possible food shortage, growing food in floating gardens can be adopted in flood-prone areas. Thus, PhilRice CES' Climate Change Center conducted an experiment during dry and wet seasons 2012 to develop floating gardens using locally available and recyclable materials and to evaluate suitable plant substrate in floating cultivation. In 2012 dry season, floating gardens were established using bamboo raft frames and used plastic bottles enclosed in plastic sacks as floaters. The treatments were (T1) 125 kg/sq m soil media, (T2) decomposed water hyacinth with 50 kg/sq m soil media, and (T3) decomposed water hyacinth with 25 kg/sq m soil media. Two tomato varieties, Diamante Max and Diamante were used as test crops. In 2012 wet season, the treatments were (T1) potting mix, (T2) pond mud, (T3) decomposed water hyacinths. Bush sitao (UPLBS3) was used as test crop. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. The number and weight of harvested fruits/plant of both tomato varieties in floating gardens using 125 kg/sql soil media were comparable with the use of decomposed water hyacinths with 25 kg/sq1 m soil media. The average diameter of diamante max was similar in all treatments which can be attributed to varietal characteristic of tomato. On the other hand, the largest fruit size of diamante was attained in floating garden using combination of water hyacinths and 50 kg/sq m soil media. The yield of bush sitao was not significantly different among treatments.
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