IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2016) 7-1

Research article
erd

Effects of Pyroligneous Acid to Growth and Yield of Soybeans(Glycine max)
JOSE T. TRAVERO*Bohol Island State University, Bohol, Philippines
Email: kinandamata@gmail.com

MACHITO MIHARA
Faculty of Regional Environment Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Tokyo, Japan
Email: m-mihara@nodai.ac.jp
Received 5 January 2016

Accepted 11 April 2016(*Corresponding Author)

Abstract In the Philippines, there is at present a Soybean Roadmap which has two major
components, namely: Organic Soybean Production and Organic Soybean Utilization,Processing and Marketing. This research project compliments the Philippine National Soybean
Program by developing appropriate organic technologies especially on its external inputs likefertilizer. The main objective of this research was to find out the effects of pyroligneous acid on
the growth and yield of soybeans. Philippine Seed Board Soya 6 (PSB SY6) or commonly
called Tiwala 8 is an approved variety for use in the country which was planted in field
condition of the university research area in 2 x 2 meter plots. This was four (4) times replicatedby using randomized complete block design (RCBD). Coconut shell vinegar (pyroligneousacid) was used in this study. There were three levels of pyroligneous acid being tested: 10%,20%, and 30% which represented Treatment 1, Treatment 2 and Treatment 3, respectively.
Treatment 4 served as the control. Statistical analysis revealed that all treatments had notaffected to the growth of the soybean plants. However, it was noted that there was a significant
effect of wood vinegar on the yield.
Keywords pyroligneous acid, soybean road map, external inputs

INTRODUCTION
The Philippine government has installed the National Soybean Development program which createdthe Soybean Roadmap 2010-2014 called “Building Sustainable Soybean Industry in the Philippines”.
This program will enhance the government’s advocacy for sustainable agriculture and therefore
achieve food security of the country.
According to Rosie Aquino of the Department of Agriculture-Cagayan Valley Integrated
Agricultural Research Center, “farmers will have a benefit from the program in terms of enhanced
productivity, improvement of soil fertility, improvement of household nutrition as a result of productconsumption that is protein-rich, and income augmentation through utilization of soybean meal forbackyard swine raising”.
Aquino further emphasized that “The resulting soybean program strives to develop improved
soybean varieties that are resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses, and are favorably responsive toorganic production management practices,” (Go, 2011).
In the province of Bohol, the Department of Agriculture has launched the Soybean Development
Program to promote soybean production as source of protein and as a crop that can withstand adverse
conditions especially drought as soybean is proven to be resistant to heat stress (Cartagenas, DaisyⒸ ISERD50IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2016) 7-1personal communication). Several on site trials have been conducted in collaboration with the farmers
to determine the best performing varieties for mass production.
One of the challenges in organic agriculture program is the availability of organic inputs for thecultural management of crops. As it is desired to pursue organic soybean production, there is a need tolook for effective organic inputs that could positively contribute to the overall performance of the cropas soybeans. In a study on peanut, it was found out that Foliar application of wood vinegar increased
vegetative growth and this might result in preventing the sunlight reaching the soil surface under theplant canopy and consequently higher in soil moisture content (Jothiyankoon et al., 2008).
Masaki Yokomori, a senior technical adviser of Japan Agricultural Exchange Council has
established a demo farm and introduced the use of Mokusaku (Wood Vinegar) in the vegetable farmsof Benguet, Mountain province. Wood vinegar is accepted by vegetable farmers as it has improved theperformance of their vegetables (Yokomori, 2011).
As there is also a program on Organic Soybean Production, there is a need for organic inputs as asource of fertilizer and pesticides. Wood vinegar, as proven by other researchers, can be a good sourceof such organic inputs. Hence, there is a need to do research on this aspect with the hope of validating
the usefulness of wood vinegar on the performance of soybeans as a crop for attention in the country as
a source of protein and an adaptation to climate change.
METHODOLOGY
A randomized complete design (RCBD) of 2x2 meter plots was installed in the vegetable research areaof Bohol Island State University by using soybeans as test crops. Soybeans were planted at therecommended distance by researchers of Department of Agriculture. Seasoned pyroligneous acid(Wood vinegar) from coconut shell was applied at one-week interval after planting at the rate of 10%(T1), 20% (T2) and 30% (T3). T4 served as control. Weekly growth of soybeans was taken andrecorded. Yield parameters were taken by treatment and all data were subjected to statistical analysis.

Fig. 1 Research plots laid out in a Randomized Complete Block DesignRESULTS AND DISCUSSIONThe study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of wood vinegar from coconut shell as organic
input in the performance of soybeans. Specifically, it aimed to identify the impacts of wood vinegar on
the growth and yield of soybeans and identify the effective level of application of wood vinegar for
better performance of soybeans in terms of its growth and yield.
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IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2016) 7-1

Weekly plant height (cm) of the plants was taken in all treatments as shown in Table 1. It was
found out that there was a difference of height in all treatments compared with the Control. However,based on the analysis of variance, it was found that the difference was insignificant in all treatments
over the control plots.
Table 1 Plant Height of Soybeans (cm)Treatments
T1 - 10%WV
T2 - 20%WV
T3 - 30%
WV
T4 - ControlIIIIIIIV

Total

Mean

49.58

56.59

47.69

53.32

207.18

51.79

46.26

48.50

48.08

45.17

188.00

47.00

53.66

49.73

47.20

49.98

200.58

50.14

45.62

49.08

48.33

51.35

194.3948.60

ABFig. 2 Soybean plants at the maturity stage (A) and the pods (B) ready for harvest

Yield in dry weight for each treatment was taken as shown in Table 2. Analysis of varianceshowed that Treatments 1, 2 and 3 were significant over that of Control. This means that all treatmentsof wood vinegar have a significant effect to the yield of soybeans. Treatment 3 (30% WV) got thehighest mean yield of 1.26 (0.315 kg/sq.m. or 3.1 tons/ha), followed by Treatment 2 (20% WV) withthe mean yield of 0.97 (0.242 kgs/sq.m. or 2.4 tons/ha) and Treatment 1 (10% WV) got the mean yieldof 0.93 (0.232 kgs/sq.m. or 2.3 tons/ha). Treatment 1 and Treatment 2, however, showed no significant
difference as to yield. Treatment 4 (no application of WV) got the mean yield of 0.55 (0.1375 kgs/sq.m.
or 1.3 tons/ha).
Table 2 Yield of soybeans (kgs)
Treatments
T1 - 10%WV
T2 - 20%WV
T3 - 30%
WV
T4 - ControlIIIIIIIVTotal

Mean

0.90

0.88

0.99

0.95

3.72

0.93

1.00

0.94

0.99

0.95

3.88

0.97

1.05

1.15

1.56

1.28

5.04

1.26

0.65

0.35

0.58

0.65

2.230.55Ⓒ ISERD

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IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2016) 7-1

Table 3 Analysis of variance on the yield of soybeans
SourceBlockTreatment
Error
CorrectedTotal

Type III Sumof Squares
.083
.999
.138
1.220

df
3
3
915

Mean Square.028
.333
.015

F

Sig.

5%1%

1.803
21.727

.217
.000

3.86

6.99

a. R Squared = .887 (Adjusted R Squared = .812)

Fig. 3 Harvested soybean seeds in all treatments
CONCLUSION
Application of Wood Vinegar has no influence on the growth of soybeans based on weekly recordedheight of plants. The effect was observed on the yield as all treatments showed the significant
difference over its control plots. Plants treated with 10% and 20% wood vinegar showed no significant
difference as to its effect on yield. It is concluded that the increased percentage of wood vinegar
increased the yield of soybeans.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author extends his gratitude to Prof Alan E. Faburada, Administrator of NORSU PamplonaCampus, Negros Oriental, Daisy O. Cartagenas of DA-CENVIARC, Ubay, Bohol for the supply ofsoybean seeds and the Staff of the Soils Laboratory of the City Agriculture, Cebu City for the soilanalysis.
REFERENCES
Cartagenas, D. 2015. Central Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center. Ubay, Bohol, Philippines.
Personal Communication.
Go, M. 2011. http://www.philstar.com/business/648973/da-drafts-5-year-soybean-roadmap
Jothiyangkoon, D.J., Koolachart, R.K., Wanapat, S., Wongkaew, S. and Jogloy, S. 2008. Using wood vinegar inenhancing peanut yield and in controlling the contamination of aflatoxin producing fungus. Department ofPlant Science and Agricultural Resources, Khon Kaen University, Thailand and School of Crop ProductionⒸ ISERD53

IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2016) 7-1

Technology, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. Retrieved November 10,2015
fromhttp://www.intlcss.org/files/congress-proceedings/2008-papers/cs3-s6/cs3-s6-o5-daruneejothityangkoon.pdf
Yokomori, M. 2011. Farmers in Benguet practice savers technology. The Japan Agricultural Exchange Council.
Rianella Printing Press, Baguio City, Philippines.

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