By By Julio P. Yap Jr.
Combining organic and inorganic fertilizers, supplemented with a foliar fertilizer, has provided a retired professor to harvest more fruits from his young jackfruit tree.
According to Dr. Pedrito S. Nitural, he started to fertilize his jackfruit tree with an equal amount, about one kilogram each, of urea (46-0-0) and complete fertilizer (14-14-14).
Then, he regularly applied Amino Plus Foliar Fertilizer (APFF) every 10 days until the tree profusely produced fruits.
Nitural started to fertilize his jackfruit tree with an equal amount of urea (46-0-0) and complete fertilizer (14-14-14), and regularly applied Amino Plus Foliar Fertilizer (APFF) every 10 days until the tree profusely produced fruits.
Nitural, or Professor Ped as he is fondly called, says that with the supplementation of APFF, his jackfruit tree produced more fruits.
Jackfruit is a tropical Asian tree (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) which is related to the breadfruit that yields huge fruits which contain an edible pulp and nutritious seeds.
He says that last year, he was able to harvest at least 18 fully grown fruits. Since then, Nitural religiously applied his jackfruit tree with combined organic and inorganic fertilizers, and supplemented with APFF.
This fruiting season, his tree again produced fruits abundantly, compelling Nitural to practice thinning the fruits to a desired number to maintain the sizes.
From the abundant supply, Nitural only maintained 20 fruits, some of which are expected to be harvested this December, while the others will be harvested by January or February of 2019.
Nitural, a retired professor of Crop Science at the Central Luzon State University in the Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija, narrated that he was able to obtain his jackfruit seedling, a latexless variety, from Ramil Rubia of Agri-Aqua Network International (AANI) in Antipolo City some five years ago.
It started to bear fruits after three years from transplanting, but produced only five medium-sized fruits.
Nitural saw the impact and beneficial effects of combining organic and inorganic fertilizers coupled with APFF in relation to the plant’s growth and development. He says that with the supplementation of APFF, his jackfruit tree produced more fruits
The following year, he decided to fertilize the tree with 46-0-0 and 14-14-14, supplemented with Amino Plus Foliar Fertilizer, where the tree started to fruit abundantly.
Propagating a jackfruit tree is very easy, Nitural says. But to have a good yield, proper cultural management practices and right amount of fertilizer should be provided.
It is probable that the jackfruit tree absorbed sufficient amount of nutrients which was enhanced through the application of Amino Plus Foliar Fertilizer.
Application of organic material prevents erosion, cracking, and crusting. It also helps retain soil humidity and improve soil internal drainage.
Plants fertilized with organic matter also have greater resistance to pests and diseases.
The humus acid and growth substances are absorbed into the plant tissue through the roots and they favor the formation of proteins by influencing the synthesis of enzymes that will increase the vigor and insect resistance of plants.
He says the purpose of foliar feeding is not to replace soil fertilization.
Foliar application has been proven to be an excellent method of supplying plant requirements for secondary nutrients (calcium, magnesium, sulfur), and micronutrients (zinc, manganese, iron, copper, boron, and molybdenum).
Nitural says Amino Plus is certified as organic by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines or OCCP.
It effectively adheres to the plant’s surface, provides quick supplementation, increases the yield and growth rate of crops, increases crop resistance against drought, and improves plant vitality and self-defense processes.
As a seasoned Crop Science professor, he shares that damage to agricultural crops due to weather disturbances could be prevented or minimized with the proper application of farm inputs, like organic fertilizers and other related products.
He says that fruit-bearing trees and other plants sprayed with Amino Plus Foliar Fertilizer are more resistant to diseases and other stresses in the field.
After retiring, Nitural is now working as an adjunct professor at the De La Salle Araneta University in Upper Ciudad Real, San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan.
He is also connected with the M.V. Gallego Foundation Colleges in Cabanatuan City as a director of the Community Extension and Outreach Program.
For more information about APFF, visit Global Green.
This appeared in Agriculture Monthly’s December 2018 issue.Â
