IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2021) 12-1

Research article
erdStudy on Use of Plant Based Material as a Fertilizer
PA PA SAN*
Yadanabon University, Mandalay, Myanmar
Email: papasan1771@gmail.com

MYA YADANAR AUNG
Yadanabon Universtiy, Mandalay, Myanmar
Received 23 November 2020

Accepted 30 June 2021(*Corresponding Author)

Abstract Soil is the mixture of mineral, organic material, living organisms, air and water thattogether support the growth of plant life. Fruit peels contain potassium, vitamins, minerals and someessential elements which enhance the growth of plant. Generally, fruit peels are thrown in garbage
and it goes to solid waste dumping site. That causes odour problem due to degradation of peelcontent in dumping site. The present study deals with the utilization of different fruit peels such asorange peels and banana peels as fertilizer added to soil. The soil sample was collected from SharTaw-Lay village, Amarapura Township, Mandalay, Myanmar. Three soil samples were investigatedby addition of organic waste fruit peel powder of orange and banana. Soil sample, S1 (2000 g soil) ascontrol, soil sample, S2 (2000 g soil + 500 g orange peel powder) and soil sample, S3 2000 g soil +500 g banana peel powder) and soil sample, S3 (2000 g soil + 500 g banana peel powder) werefertilized soil. The physicochemical properties of three soil samples such as pH, electricalconductivity, organic matter and texture were determined. The elemental composition of three soil
samples was measured by applying EDXRF. The content of N, P, K nutrients of three soil samples
was determined by chemical instrumental method. Different fruit peel powders add soils to compare
the plant growth were investigated. The chemical fertilizers can be replaced by the fruit peel powder
to protect the soil from the infertility. This fruit peel materials have not cost bearing and thus aids inconverting this waste into a usable resource.
Keywords fertilizer, fruit peel powder, nutrient, soil

INTRODUCTION
Soil is important because it provides the nutrients that plant need to grow. Without soil, there would be
no plants, without plants, there would be no foods, without food, animals could not survive. Soil isrelating with fertilizer. Soil is needed the fertilizer that is one of the sources for plant growth. There are
two types of fertilizer used in agriculture, organic fertilizer and inorganic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers
are fertilizers derived from animal or vegetable matter (eg. compost, manure). Inorganic fertilizers areproduced or artificially in a chemical refinery. Fertilizers typically provide in varying proportions.
Good fertility is fundamental to success full plant growth, and the application of fertilizers andmanures is an essential graining act activity. The maintenance of adequate levels of nutrients in soil isessential for healthy plant growth; cheapest and harmless materials can be used for the plant growth.
Fruits contain a high amount of antioxidants that are beneficial to our health in many ways. The fruit
peels have nutrients like potash, iron, zinc, calcium, citrate content etc. In addition, among the many
fruit sample, orange and banana are traditional food, main consumed for Myanmar people and wellcultivated for everywhere in Myanmar. Therefore, fruit sample orange and banana were chosen in thisresearch.
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The present work was to investigate how the changes in physical and chemical properties by adding banana
peel powder and orange peel powder to the soil from Shar-Taw Lay village, Amarapura Township,Mandalay, Myanmar. Discard substance of orange peel powder and banana peel power into usable productas fertilizer that cheapest and harmless material can be used for the plant growth.

Fig. 1 Map of study areaMETHODOLOGY
The soil samples were collected from Shar-Taw Lay village, Amarapura Township, Mandalay,Myanmar. These soil was chosen for this study because these soil was supplied by natural fertilizer
such as cowdung, dry peat leaves before harvested. These selected soil sown so many crops and paddy.
The soil samples were dug the depth 20 cm from the earth surface in the study area and were put inthick plastic bags. The soil normally contain clay, pebbles, root, rock pieces, these soil is sieved byusing 2 mm sieve to remove the pebbles, root, rock pieces. The soil samples were air-dried and werecrushed into fine powder by using grinder. This dried soil was packed in sterile polythene bags andsent to soil quality center, Department of Agricultural Research, Yezin, Nay-Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
Collection and processing of fruit peel:
Generally fruit peels are collected from fruit juice vendors or thrown in garbage by peel household.
Discard fruit peels (orange peel and banana) are cut into small pieces and dried in air. After drying ofthese peels into powder by using blander.

Orange peel

Orange peel powder

Banana peel

Banana peel powder

Fig. 2 Different fruit peel and fruit peel powder
Preparation of fruit peel powder in soil:
Orange peel powder (500 g) and soil (2000 g) mixed with 300 mL of distilled water as soil sample, S2
were added to the pot. The amount of water to add was calculated by field capacity method.

The fertilized materials were weighed every 2 weeks and the loss of weight was re-filled withwater. Banana peel powders were prepared for the above as soil sample S3 and without peel powder assoil sample S1. After composting 45 days, these two soil samples sent to soil quality center,
Department of Agricultural Research, Yezin, Nay-Pyi-Taw, Myanmar.

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Control soil sample S1(2500 g)Soil sample- S2
Soil 2000 g + 500 g orange peel powder

Soil sample-S3
Soil 2000 g + 500 g banana peel powder(1) pH, 1 : 2.5 soil: Water suspension
method, pH meter (F-51 HORIBA)(2) Electrical conductivity (EC), Saturation extract
method, conductivity meter (DS-51HORIBA)(3) Organic matter, Tyurin's method,
Analytical balance(4) Soil texture, pipette method, Analytical balance(5) Moisture, Gravimetric method,
Temperature controlled oven(6) Total N, Kjaldehl distillation method,
Gerhardt Vapodest20s(7) Total P, Molybivanado phosphoric acidmethod, UV-visible Spectrophotometer
Jenway 6305

(8) Total K, Wet digestion with HNO3 : HClO4 (4 :1),Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer,NOV AA-400(9) Elemental percent composition, powder-pellet, EDXRF

Fig. 3 Control soil and fruit peel powder in soil analytical item, analytical method,apparatus used
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In this study, the pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter, texture, moisture, total N, P, K
and Elemental percent composition of control soil sample S1, orange peel powder soil sample S2,banana peel powder soil sample S3 were measured at Department of Agricultural Research, Yezin, Naypyi-daw, Myanmar.
The pH of three soil samples were measured by water suspension method using pH meter.
Electrical conductivity (EC) was also measured by saturation extract method using conductivity meter.
Organic matter of soil samples S1, S2 and S3 were determined Tyurin's method using Analytical balance
and also measured soil texture by pipette method. Moisture for three soil samples were known by
Gravimetric method using temperature controlled oven. Three soil samples S1, S2 and S3 weremeasured by Kjaldehl distillation method for Total N, Molybivanado phosphoric acid method for Total
P and wet digestion with HNO3 : HClO4 (4 : 1) for Total K by respective apparatus and also
determined elemental percent composition by EDXRF.
Pot experiment of chili plants and pea plants:
Effects of prepared fertilized soil sample with chili and pea plants were investigated by pot experiment.
Pot experiment of chili plants:
Duration from time of emergence of chili plant to the end of time period was 45 days work. According
to result, increase the time period with increasing of plant growth of fertilized soil sample S2 and S3.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 Result of growth length of chili plant on control soil and prepared fertilized soilTime frameday

Plant height (cm)Soil sample S1

Fertilized soil sample S2

Fertilized soil sample S3

128.6

11.7

12.5

24

13.5

20.6

21.4

36

22.7

37.5

38.5

45

33.6

54.5

55.6

Fig. 4 The plot of growth length of chili plant cultivated on prepared fertilized soil sample
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Table 2 Physicochemical properties of soil sample S1, S2 and S3
No12
3Soil sample
Control soil sample, S1
Soil + Orange peel powder
soil sample, S2Soil + Banana peel powder
soil sample, S3pH

Organic matter (%)

EC (dS/m)

TextureMoisture

8.1

2.0 %

0.18

sandy loam

1.4 %

7.2

11.6 %

0.39

sandy loam

2.4 %

7.8

13.2 %

0.38

sandy loam

2.8 %From the above Table, the pH of control soil sample was slightly higher than soil sample S2 and S3.
Soil organic matter decline in many agroecosystems occur because losses of carbon through oxidationand erosion by intensive cropping are not compensated by carbon inputs through the return of plantbiomass. Organic matter reduction is in turn, association with the soil structure degradation. Organic
matter of soil sample S2 and S3 were higher than control soil sample S1. Neither strong acidic nor strong
basic of three soil samples were found. Organic matter plays a major role in moisture retention, helping
crops withstand drought contributes to the chemical and biological properties of the soil and also a source ofand exchange for nutrients. The soil sample consists of 61% of sand, 26% of silt and 13% of clay. Thetexture class of soil sample was sandy loam. Electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of the salt
concentration in the soil solution. Increasing electrical conductivity of control soil sample, S1 than soil
sample S2 and S3. The moisture of control soil sample S1 (1.4%), soil sample S2 (2.4%), soil sample S3(2.8%) were observed.
Table 3 pH of orange peel powder and banana peel powder
No1

Fruit peel powder
Orange peel powder

pH
5.6

N
7.2

P
2.3

K
1.22

Banana peel powder

7.7

4.6

3.7

2.8

By the experiment, it can quantify how much amount of different peel powder required for theparticular soil. The orange peel powder was used to decrease the pH of the soil and the banana peel
powder was used to increases the pH of the soil.
Citrate peel powder like, orange peel powder, reduces salinity of soil and alkaline peel powder
like, banana peel powder reducing acidity content present in soil. According to result, orange peel
powder has higher nitrogen content (7.2 mg/g), whereas banana peel powder has higher quantity ofphosphorous (3.7 mg/g) and potassium (2.8 mg/g).
Table 4 Major nutritive value of soil sample S1, S2 and S3
NoSoil sample

Total N

Total P

Total K

1Control soil sample, S1

0.09%

0.11%

0.31%

2Soil + Orange peel powder soil sample, S2

0.18%

0.40%

1.01%

3Soil + Banana peel powder soil sample, S3

0.20%

0.35%

1.03%

The major naturitive value of prepared fertilized soil sample S1, S2, S3 were determined. The
primary nutrient (N, P, K) are mainly necessary for plants. The total nitrogen value of three soil
samples ranged from 0.09%, 0.18% to 0.21%. It was found that nitrogen content of three soil samples
were increased and that causes soil fertility.
The total phosphorus values ranged 0.11%, 0.40%, 0.35%. Phosphorus concentration may
increases as composting. Thotal potassium content ranged 0.3.1%, 1.01%, 1.03%. According to thisⒸ ISERD146

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2021) 12-1results, potassium content of prepared fertilized soil sample S2 and S3 are higher. Therefore it issuitable for crops and vegetable growing. By comparing these results, we can conclude that increased
N, P, K value with increasing fertility of soil, soil microorganism, plant growth and maximum nutrient
content.
The element composition of prepared fertilized soil sample were determined by EDXRF at
Department of Agricultural Research, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. According to table, allelemental composition of soil sample S2 and soil sample S3 are higher than control soil sample S1. In
this elemental composition, S2 and S3 fertilized soil sample contained highest amount of Si, Al, Fe andhigh amount of Ca, K. And then, meidum for Ti, Mn and low mineral levels are observed in Zn, Pb, Cr.
The high elemental content of S2, and S3 fertilized soil sample show increasing pest and pathoger
resistance, drought and heavy metal tolerance, and stability and yield of agricultural corps.
Table 5 Determination of elemental composition of soil sample S1, S2 and S3Soil
SiAlFeCaKTiMnZnPbCr
sampleControl soil
30.726% 5.528% 2.059% 2.359% 1.243% 0.456% 0.084% 0.028% 0.018% 0.006%
sample S1Orange soil
47.100% 15.200% 18.300% 6.470% 8.630% 1.450% 0.217% 0.153% 0.186% 0.0889%
sample, S2
Banana soil
46.500% 15.000% 17.000% 7.190% 8.730% 1.580% 0. 276% 0.148% 0.180 0.0663%
sample, S3

Application of fruit peel powder in soil:
Soil samples S1, S2, S3 were filled with each pot. Pea seeds and chili seeds were sown in various pots
and water was poured every day. Control and two different peel powder was used to compare the plantgrowth.
After 45 days, check the growth of pea plant and chili plant compare with the plant in control soil.
Length of the plant was very less in control soil than the orange peel powder applied soil. Size of theleaves was also increased in the plants which were grown on banana peel powder with soil. Length ofpeas and chili plant were also bigger than control.

(c) Soil +(b) Soil +(a) Control

orange peel

Fig. 5 Different in growth of chili planta) control soil and b) soil + banana
peelbanana peel

SoilFig. 6 Different ingrowth of pea plant
Powder soilsoila) control soil and powderb) soil+ bananapeelc) soil + orange peel
CONCLUSIONc) soil + orange peel

In this study, the plant base materials such as orange peel and banana peel were used as natural
fertilizer. The physicochemical changes during the combination of orange peel powder or banana peel
powder to soil were determined at enhancing properties of soil. The orange peel powder was used toⒸ ISERD147

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decrease the pH of the soil and the banana peel powder was used to increase the pH of the soil. The pHof control soil samples is slightly higher than soil sample S2 and S3. It was found that, organic matter,electrical conductivity (EC), of orange peel powder soil sample S2 and banana peel powder soil sample
S3 were higher than control soil sample S1. Furthermore, total N, P, K value of soil sample S2 and S3
were also found higher than control soil sample S1 as well as elemental composition. So, the peel
powder can be feasibly used as a soil fertilizer, improving soil morphology, as micronutrient
supplement (Zn, Fe, Ca) and also for horticultural purposes. The plant growths of different fruit peel
powder add soil were more than control soil. The organic waste such as orange and banana fruit peel
powder were used as natural fertilizer. By using this orange peel powder and banana peel powder as
fertilizer, it can be reduced to fruit peel waste. Soil application of compost from organic residues, suchas animal manures, sewage sludge, household wastes, represents a management strategy that could
counteract depletion of organic matter in soils. Besides, organic residues recycling and further use insoils represents an attempt to alleviate the serious environmental problems caused by residue
accumulation. The use of compost in soils requires that it achieves and adequate degree of maturity,
which implies a stable organic matter content and the absence of phytotoxic compounds and plant oranimal pathogens. Mineral fertilization provides readily available nutrients for plant growth; however,it does not contribute to improve soil physical condition. For the enhancement of the growth of plantand vegetables in home gardens, banana peel power and orange peel powder were applied as soil
conditioner and its response was measured by using some parameters.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I express my gratitude to Rector Dr. Aung Aung Min and Pro-rectors Dr. Si Si Khin and Dr. Tint Moe
Thu Zar, Yadanabon University, for their permission to do this research. I also wish to express manythanks to Professor Dr. Hlaing Hlaing Myat, Head of Chemistry Department, Yadanabon University
for her kind permission to carry out this work and her interest, constructive comment and suggestions
and we also thank the ethical research committee of department of chemistry, Yadanabon University. I
am also thanks to Dr. Ni Ni Tint, Department of Agricultural Research, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw,Myanmar.
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