EM Improves Rice Production in Gapan, Nueva Ecija

Mr. Victor Solis, a professional Electronics and Communication Engineer graduated at Polytechnic University of the Philippines managed a 10ha rice area in Gapan Nueva Ecija. He was the former project manager of one Telecommunication Company and engaged into rice farming as their family business.
As the eldest son of the family, he continued of what his father started on farming.  An engineer who turned his wills on farming, faced different challenges in rice farming since he doesn’t have enough knowledge to make it more productive. He never stop learning and collected agricultural magazines and other articles related on farming. Application of what he learned from those helped him most.
         Putting zinc phosphate on the soil to neutralize acidity and  lessen the yellowing of leaves was his first action. He was dependent on synthetic fertilizers throughout the cropping season, and realized the higher cost of farm inputs but equal percentage of production.
          Being curious, Vic don’t stop doing research. He encountered EM in a magazine for many times. As he visited to Harbest Office he got some protocols and was encouraged to try EM for rice. He believes “prevention is better than cure” therefore he apply organic fertilizers and add more beneficial microbes to improve soil condition. 

             Vic has been using EM for rice for 5years. At first He extended EM-1 by dissolving 1 liter molasses to 28 liters of non-chlorinated water. He add 1 liter EM-1 and mix it well. He fermented it for 7 days before using it.  

 

 

 

              He used EMAS during land preparation to condition the soil before transplanting. He diluted 2-3 liters of EMAS per 100liter of water and spray the flooded field. He observed the fast decomposition of rice straws and other plant debris. EM also improves soil nutrients. As if nutrients hidden in the soil was unlocked. That is why he do not apply synthetic fertilizer for his basal.  For Vic, EM is multipurpose.

                                                                                                                                                                                     

               There were improvement in terms of production. Rice grain was full and heavy. He harvest 100-115 sacks per hectare compare to his neighbors who harvest 60-75 sacks of rice per hectare. Using EMAS gives him additional savings. He reduced his synthetic fertilizer application up to 15% and yet the rice tillers are  still healthy and green. He also started making his own vermitea with EMAS to further reduce his application of synthetic fertilizers. He apply it not just on rice field but also to his vegetable garden.              

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Prevent vegetable pest and diseases now!

 

EM-5 contains esters formed by mixing acetic acid and alcohol. This is primarily use to prevent pest and diseases. It acts as barrier around the plant. EM-5 contains 5 main ingredients listed below.

 

Ingredients:

600 ml Non-chlorinated water 

100 ml EM-1 Concentrate

100 ml Molasses

100ml Distilled Spirits (Lambanog, Gin)

100 ml Naturally fermented vinegar (coconut vinegar (tuba), Sugarcane vinegar)

 

***To enhance its effect you may add at least 150-250g of chopped chili, garlic, onion, ginger, neem leaves and fruit, marigold, different herbs, or any plant parts with medicinal and insecticidal properties.

***In rainy season you need sticker so that anything you spray like foliar fertilizers or pesticide will not be easily be wash out by too much water. In this case you may add slimy plants or fruit on your fermentation such as malavar spinach (Alugbati), jute leaves (saluyot), aloe vera or okra

Procedure:




Use NEEM LEAVES and FRUIT in your EM-5. Neem's active ingredient called "azadirachtin"  could control wide range of pest and diseases.
If you want to target specific pest or disease use specific plant parts with the capability to repel or kill insect pest or control the reproduction of disease.
For Example: If your problem mostly is aphids and whiteflies use more garlic on your EM-5. For worms and leaf spots use more chili or ginger. For leaf blight use more ipil-ipil, kakawate, or onion and many more.
  

It is ready to use if it has sweet sour smell and pH drops to 4 below. After fermentation you may keep the plant parts in EM-5 and filter it every time you want to use it OR you may filter it right after fermentation to separate the solid from liquid using cheesecloth. Put the plant part on your compost or spread it to your garden to repel insect pest.

 

Use EM-5 within 3 months.

HOW TO USE IT??

Dilute 1 liter EM-5 to 100 up to 500 liters of water. Spray it to plant early in the morning or late in the afternoon. For maintenance use 1:500 dilution at least once a week. But if insect pest or diseases started to build up use 1:100 dilution rate. Spray especially underside of leaves.

At nursery use 1:500 to 1000 dilution rate.


To simplify:
♠ Per liter of water dilute 2-10 ml EM-5.
♠ Per knapsack sprayer (16 liters) dilute 32 ml to 160 ml of EM-5.
          ☻ In field we actually don't use measuring cap. Instead we use empty cans of sardines  
               (150ml). Therefore for every knapsack sprayer use half can of sardines to 1 can of  sardines.
♠  Per drum (200 liters) water dilute 400 ml to 2 liters of EM-5. OR 1 liter EM-5 per drum.