3. • Our country, the Philippines, is rich in natural resources and has a fertile
land area of 30 million hectares, 47% of which is agricultural land (Food
and Fertilizer Technology Center, n.d). However, about six (6) million
hectares of agricultural land worldwide become unproductive every year
due to the various soil degradation processes (Asio, 2010).
• The problem is much more serious in tropical than in temperate areas
since tropical soils are generally more prone to degradation because of
the nature of their properties and the prevalent climatic conditions.
Countries in Asia and Africa that depend upon agriculture as the engine
of economic growth are believed to suffer the greatest impact of soil
degradation. Soil degradation includes soil acidification and water
logging.
4. • The low productivity of the agricultural sector is largely attributed to
low and decreasing soil fertility due to a factor such as soil
acidification and water logging. At extremes of high (alkaline) and
low (acid) pH this delicate balance is disturbed and plant nutrients
that were in adequate supply can become either deficient or toxic to
plant growth. When roots cannot respire due to excess water in the
soil profile water logging occurs. Under water-logged condition all
field crops cannot survive due to poor aeration and unavailability of
nutrients to the plant. Acid conditions of soil will result in a lowering
of plant production in farming systems, due to the soil acidity and
difficulty in monitoring soil moisture of plant crops and difficult
process of testing the soils, farmers cannot test their soil directly.
5. • As the temperature, amount of fertilizer, and the water content of the
soil increases and decreases, the properties of the soil are affected,
specifically, the soil moisture, and pH. Soil moisture content, and pH
plays an important role when it comes to the growth of the crops. Soil
pH refers to the acidity and alkalinity of the soil. When the soil pH
decreases, the soil will be acidic and will restrict the roots access to
water and plant's ability to absorb essential nutrients from the soil. If
soil pH increases, some nutrients cannot be absorbed properly and
can increase toxicity in plants.
6. • Soil moisture refers to the water content of the soil. If soil moisture increases
(the soil is too wet), the plants cannot get enough oxygen from the soil and if it
decreases (the soil is too dry) nutrients cannot travel to the plants. Having a soil
that is acidic has made organic farming a challenge in a community (Mangu,
2015). As a result of the acidity, plant growth has become difficult causing
reduction in the yield. High acidity in agricultural soil is most likely caused by
the improper use of fertilizer (Alcala, 2015). This prompted Alcala to propose for
the Department of Agriculture to go around the region to conduct soil mapping,
neutralize acidic soils and teach farmers to correct soil acidity. Farmers and
agriculturist are having a hard time every time they want to monitor their soil,
since monitoring the soil using the standardized instruments is expensive and
takes time and effort since the instruments should be used individually most
push-in devices are not suitable for a wide range of ground condition.
7. • This motivated the researchers to help them monitor their
soil by constructing a Soil Quality Sensor and Indicator that
will determine the soil moisture, and pH in one device.
Specifically, this study aimed to determine the efficiency of
the SOQSI: Soil Quality Sensor and Indicator in terms of
measuring the soil moisture, and pH of the soil samples;
and to determine if there is a significant difference between
SOQSI and the standardize instruments in terms of
measuring the soil moisture, and pH of the soil samples.
8. • The SOQSI: Soil Quality Sensor and Indicator device would be
beneficial especially to the farmers and agriculturist that have a
smaller budget and have a lesser time for testing soil samples instead
of going to a laboratory with expensive fees for a single analysis and
time-consuming process. This device could also be adapted by the
Department of Agriculture (DA), Office of the Provincial Agriculturist
(OPA), Philippine Rice Institute (PhilRice), provincial agriculturists,
and researchers as a way of promoting local and low-cost inventions
for agricultural and research purposes. Furthermore, the provincial
agriculturists and the government officials could promote this
agricultural invention to their beneficiaries,and constituents
especially to the farmers as a part of their crop quality, monitoring,
and management practice.
9. • Asio, Victor .Soil degradation in the Philippines.
.https://soil-environment.blogspot.com/2010/03/soil-degradation-in-
philippines.html?m=1. (Accessed August 1, 2019)
• Fontanilla, Giovani Joy. “Farmers battling soil acidity.” Sunstar April 9, 2015.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/3001 (Accessed August 1, 2019)
• Nduwumuremyi, Athanase. Soil Acidification and Lime Quality: Sources of Soil Acidity,
Effects on Plant Nutrients, Efficiency of Lime and Liming Requirements.
Research & Reviews. Journal of Medical and Health Sciences.
http://www.rroij.com/open-access/soil-acidification-and-lime-quality-
sources-of-soil-acidity-effects-on-plant-nutrients-efficiency-of-lime-and-
liming-requirements.php?aid=33827 (Accessed August 30, 2018)
10. • Read "Issues in the Integration of Research and Operational Satellite Systems for
Climate Research: Part I. Science and Design" at NAP.edu .National
Academies Press: OpenBook. https://www.nap.edu/read/9963/chapter
/8#69 (Accessed August 1, 2019)
• Right pH level: Rich soilphilstar.com
https://www.philstar.com/business/agriculture/2002/05/12/160557/right-
ph- level-rich-soil (August 1, 2019)
• Soil and climate change. European Environment Agency.
https://www.eea.europa.eu/signals/signals-2015/articles/soil-and-climate-
change (Accessed August 1, 2019)
