Efficacy of Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus) Viscera and Powdered Eggshell as Biofertilizer in the Growth of Rice (Oryza Sativa)

Rice (Oryza sativa) is a primary staple food in most Asian countries particularly in the Philippines. It plays an important role in the diet and health of an individual. With this, rice consumption is relatively high, amounting to 90% all over Asia. Therefore, the production of rice is necessary to deal with the continuously increasing demand for rice. Fertilizer, specifically chemical fertilizer is one of the necessities in the production of rice crops. However, the excessive use of chemical fertilizers has a severe impact on the health of the soil over some time. As a sustainable alternative, biofertilizers composed of fish derivatives and organic matter like eggshell offers a potential solution to this problem. This study investigates the effectiveness of a biofertilizer formulated from tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) viscera and powdered eggshell on the growth of rice (Oryza sativa). The researchers examined its impact on key growth parameters, including plant height, root length, and the number of leaves. Furthermore, researchers formulated six various setups with different concentrations of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) viscera and powdered eggshell. Based on the findings, set-up treatment with a high concentration of eggshell and low fish amino acid concentration has high effectiveness as a biofertilizer among the other treatments. The results imply that the product has the potential to be an eco-friendly and cost-effective biofertilizer that can be utilized and be helpful to the community.