Growing Tomatoes in Plastic Drinking  Cups From SM Tay Tay

 

By: Daniel DeHart

 

 

 

 

Description and Rationale 

 

                Pollution is a pandemic that has hit many parts of the world that we live in. The Philippines is no different. Almost everywhere you can see leftover trash. At SM Tay Tay movie theatre, hundreds of cups are thrown away at the end of the week- to serve no purpose except to contribute to the large amount of polluting that is already being done. Recently, my father has made contact with SM Tay Tay to receive those cups and use them for a better purpose.

 

 

            So what better purpose is this? The purpose is to use these cups as a type of pot for planting plants. What can be done to lower the amount of pollution that is being done in the Philippines? How can these cups have an effect on the environment? How can the average Filipino use these cups to improve their lives? How much pollution is already being done? How can this change by one experiment? How many of these cups are dumped into the river?

 

 

            So how much of an affect does pollution have on the Philippine people? According to the Philippine Star, pollution kills 2,000 Filipinos every year. How can this change? Although jeepney drivers are responsible for the majority of the pollution in the Philippines (Philippine Star), land-based pollution, such as trash, has an affect as well. Pollution in the water affects the Philippine people as well. Water pollution is a problem because the Filipinos use the river for showering and even drinking and if the water is dirty, it can be very bad for their health (bacteria). 

 

 

            The initial purpose of this project will be to take the cups from SM Tay Tay and use them to plant different vegetables, flowers, etc. This can be a cheaper food source for the Philippine people and can also stop the pollution in parts of the Philippines. I believe that small steps eventually add up to one big step and that may be exactly what the Philippines needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biology 

 

COMMON NAMES AND SYNONYMS

 

Solanum Lycopersicum is also known as the pomodoro. To the common gardener it is better known as the Tomato. The name Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) comes from the family Solanaceae. Other synonyms for the tomato include Lycopersicon esculentum; Love Apple; Tomate; Pomme D’Amour (France). The tagalog name for the tomato is kamatis.

 

CLASSIFICATION

 

Kingdom:                    Plantae (plants)

Phylum:                       Angiosperms (flowering plants)

Class:                          Eudicots (group of flowering plants)

Order:                         Solanales (nightshade)

Family:                        Solanaceae (family of flowering plants

Genus:                         Solanum (perennial plants)

Species:                      Solanum lycopersicum

 

There is some debate on whether tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. Botanically, it is a fruit. Culture makes it seem as though it is a vegetable, but it is a fruit.

 

MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

 

 

 

 

The tomato usually grows to around 1-3 meters, and its leaves are 10-25 centimeters in length. The average pH of the tomato is 4.1. It has a weak, woody stem that often vines around neighboring plants. The stems and the leaves are most likely hairy. The tomato also grows yellow flowers on it. These are often 1-2 centimeters in length and have five pointed lobes on the corolla; they are born in a cluster of 3-12 together.

 

The tomato itself has a reddish color to it- on the outside and on the inside. This red is caused by the lycopene in the tomato. The tomato is round and is connected to the stem at the top of the plant.

 

Inside the tomato are the tomato juice and the seeds of the tomato. There is the epidermis on the outside, and the vascular bundle is close to the epidermis. There is around five locular cavities which contains the actual seeds. In the middle is the columella.

 

At the top of the tomato plant is a terminal bud which allows the plant to grow as high as it does. Whence this terminal bud ceases to grow, lateral buds take over and grow into other functional vines.

 

A potential hazard for the tomato plant is that all green parts of the plant are poisonous. This includes the stem, leaves, vines, etc. This most likely keeps animals away from it but the tomato can be infected with different insects.

 

The color of tomato also varies depending on whether it is ripe or unripe. If a tomato is ripe, then it is firm, a little soft, but firm and a rich red color. If a tomato is unripe it is hard, small and has a green color to it. If a tomato is rotten, it is a darker red, it is squishy and often cut open because it is either to soft and bruised or it has been overtaken by mites.

 

Some of the nutrients of the tomato include sulphur, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium.

 

GETTING FOOD

 

Tomato is a warm season crop, it requires warm and cool climate. The plants cannot withstand frost and high humidity. Also light intensity affects pigmentation and fruit color. The plant is affected

by adverse climatic conditions. It requires different climatic range for seed germination, seedling growth, flower and fruit set, and fruit quality. Temperature below 10⁰C and above 38⁰C affects

 

plant tissues and slows down physiological activities. It thrives well in temperature 10⁰C to 30⁰C with range of temperature is 21-24⁰C. The mean temperature is below 16⁰C and above 27⁰C are

 

not desirable. The plant cannot withstand frost, it requires low to medium rainfall, and does well under average monthly temperature of 21 to 23⁰C. Avoid water stress and long dry period as it

 

causes cracking of fruits. Bright sunshine at the time of fruit set helps to develop dark red colored fruits.

 

Tomatoes do very well on most mineral soils, but they prefer deep, well drained sandy loams. Upper layer of soil should be porous with little sand and good clay in the subsoil. Soil depth 15 to

 

20cm proves to be good for healthy crop. Deep tillage can allow for adequate root penetration in heavy clay type soils, which allows for production in these soil types.

 

Soils extremely high in organic matter are not recommended due to the high moisture content of this media and nutrient deficiencies. But, as always, the addition of organic matter to mineral soils

 

will increase yield.

 

REPRODUCTION

 

The reproduction of the Solanum lycopersicum comes from the seeds inside the tomato. They are grown through germination. Breeding programs are ongoing by individuals, universities, corporations and organizations all over the world. The most successful breeding programs are being held at universities in Florida, North Carolina, New York and Oregon as well as other states.

 

The life cycle of the tomato occurs like this: within the first two weeks there will be nothing except a few sprouts. After about three to four weeks the plant begins to grow longer, hairy stems. Between this time and around six weeks, there will be tomatoes beginning to grow out of the plant.

 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

 

Solanum lycopersicum is perennial, which means it often grows more than one year in temperate climates. This means that it can grow in places around the equator and in any place with a high temperature. It is best grown between the temperatures of 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. It is best grow in soil with a high pH of around 5.5 to 6.8.

 

The most common disease that uses Solanum lycopersicum as a host is the disease tobacco mosaic virus. This virus is passed when smoking is being done close to a tomato.

Another particularly dreaded disease is curly top, carried by the beet leafhopper, which interrupts the lifecycle, ruining a nightshade plant as a crop. As the name implies, it has the symptom of making the top leaves of the plant wrinkle up and grow abnormally.

Some common tomato pests are stink bugs, cutworms, tomato hornworms and tobacco hornworms, aphids, cabbage loopers, whiteflies, tomato fruitworms, flea beetles, red spider mite, slugs, and Colorado potato beetles.

 

 

ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

 

The tomato is originally from South America. It has been introduced to countries all over the world. It was first used in the time of the Aztecs. It is believed that the first salsa recipe was mad from

 

the tomato at this time. It was eventually spread to places such as Britain, Spain, North America and the Middle East. Tomatoes were eventually brought to the Philippines from the Middle East

 

during trading. It is best grown in warmer climates- these climates are best around the equator which is perfect for the Philippines.

 

 

 

IMPORTANCE TO PEOPLE

 

The tomato has many important uses to people. It is used as a food and as a medicine for the sick. Many dishes can be brought from the tomato. Spaghetti, salsa, lasagna and many other foods can be made from tomatoes. People all over the world use tomatoes for making food as a seasoning or as the main dish.

 

Tomatoes also are used for medicine. Tomatoes are very good for the heart, so tomatoes possibly prevent heart attacks. The lycopine in the skin of the tomato is very good for the heart. It can be

 

used to treat acne, burns, scalds and sunburn if it is sliced and placed on the skin.

 

Tomatoes are also used as a repellent for pests because it casts a very strong aroma. The oil from the tomato can also be used to make soap to disinfect dirty hands.

 

I chose the tomato for my ecop project because the tomato has many different uses as a food and as a medicine.

 

I also chose it because it is a more common plant and I would have easy access to it.

 

SURVIVABILITY AND ENDANGERED STATUS

 

Thankfully the Solanum lycopersicum is not anywhere near being endangered. It can be replanted from the seeds that are in the tomato. This growing is being done at universities, corporations,

 

organizations and many other places such as the common gardener. Growing tomatoes are a hobby to many and millions of tomatoes are grown every year as a food in department stores and in the

 

everyday home.

 

 

 

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS 

 

 

OVERVIEW

 

In this project I realized that the plants take slightly longer to grow than plants grown in soil in the ground. I believe this could because the roots are incapable of spreading out further then the

diameter of the cup- keeping the plant smaller in size. I also noticed that growth was slightly slower in the cups than in natural soil. Two weeks past before any signs of growth appeared. With that said, the plants grew very well in the cups from SM Tay Tay. It is interesting to think how or if this could have any affect on the Philippine ecosystem- growing instead of wasting. Would this help the Philippine ecosystem if it was continually practiced? What possible purposes could these tomato plants serve to the Philippine people? The price of a tomato seed is very low, which makes it easy to buy in poor communities and suppliers are relatively easy to find. The cups are also very easy to find- at almost every corner a cup for planting can be found. Planting tomato plants in these littered cups is significant because not only are plants grown that can be used for food, medicine and many other purposes, but also the amount of garbage and littering that is everywhere in the Philippines can be decreased. Below are three possibilities that can be used after these plants are grown. Each possibility is analyzed with advantages and disadvantages to give a full overview of the possibility.

 

 

 

 

POSSIBILITY 1- USE TOMATOES FOR MEDICINE

 

(I considered possibility number two for action step, but decided to make this my action step)

 

Tomatoes are very good to people as a medicine because tomatoes have many nutritional facts that help the body. The best nutrition in the tomato that helps fight diseases is the lycopene inside the tomato. Lycopene not only is what makes a tomato red, it also prevents many kind of cancers and is very good for the heart. The lycopene in the tomato is proven in 72 studies that it helps prevent cancers in the lungs, prostate and the stomach. Processed tomatoes are even better for the body because processing the tomatoes breaks down the cell wall, which contains more lycopene. Tomatoes are also very good for the heart, so eating tomatoes can also prevent heart attacks for people with heart conditions.

 

Advantages:

 

1.         Tomatoes are a very good source of lycopene and are very good for the body. Tomatoes can prevent heart disease as well as heart attacks and can prevent many types of cancer.

 

2.         Very easy to grow inside recycled cups and the cost for the tomato seeds are very low even in poor communities. Average cost for a packet of seeds would be anywhere from five to ten pesos.

 

3.         Using home-grown tomatoes as a medicine is much cheaper than receiving   medicine from a hospital, especially for people in a poor community, which is the focus for this experiment.

 

DISADVANTAGES:

 

1.         Tomatoes can get different sorts of diseases such as tobacco mosaic virus, curly top. Curly top interrupts the life cycle of the tomato and causes the top leaves of  the plant to wrinkle and grow abnormally. Other pests can invade the plant, such as stink bugs, cutworms, tomato hornworms aphids, flea beatles and many others. This can be prevented with certain pesticides.

 

2.         Lack of watering and improper soil can cause the plant not to grow. The conditions have to be precise, and if the gardener doesn’t know these conditions, the plant may not grow successfully.

 

3.         It is said that in certain studies can lead to symptoms of arthritis, which attacks the joints and causes pain to the individual. But not enough research had been done to confirm that tomatoes cause arthritis.

 

 

POSSIBILITY 2- USE TOMATOES FOR FOOD

 

Tomatoes are also used as a source of food all over the world. It is good food for a diet or regular eating. Food such as spaghetti, salsa and lasagna can be made from the tomatoes and is a very enjoyable food source. Filipinos don’t always use the tomato as a part of their regular eating schedule, but eat it at different times.

 

ADVANTAGES:

 

1.         Tomatoes are a very good part of a diet and are a very filling food with a good flavor and taste. Many dishes can be made from the tomatoes and can be used as a side dish or in the main course.

 

2.         Easy to use for food and are very affordable, especially if it is home grown and harvested.

 

DISADVANTAGES:

 

1.         Tomatoes aren’t the most common food in the Philippines. Filipinos prefer rice at every meal and tomatoes and rice isn’t the tastiest combination.

 

2.         If the tomatoes are spoiled by different pests, this will cause the meal to taste bad and potentially cause illness to the people that ate them.

 

 

POSSIBILITY 3- USE TOMATOES FOR REPELLENT AND SOAP

 

Tomatoes can be used for a repellent against pests because it causes a strong aroma. This is perfect for Filipinos because mosquitoes are common in the Philippines and this repellent would prevent being bitten by mosquitoes or other insects. Tomatoes can also be used to make soap which improves hygiene.

 

ADVANTAGES:

 

1.         Because mosquitoes are common in the Philippines, using tomatoes as a repellent would prevent people from being bitten. This would also prevent the spread of dengue fever because it is often spread by the bite from mosquitoes.

 

2.         It would also make life much more enjoyable for the average Filipino if they weren’t being attacked by different pests constantly.

 

3.         Using tomatoes to make soap would improve the average Filipinos hygiene greatly. Filipinos would be able to wash up after a days work and stay clean.

 

DISADVANTAGES:

 

1.         The cost to turn the tomatoes into soap would be very expensive. The average Filipino couldn’t do this job alone, and they would have to buy the soap from a manufacturer.

 

2.         The texture of the tomato may be too uncomfortable and can make a person go to an alternative repellent that doesn’t have a slimy and sticky texture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACTION STEP

 

As a part of my action step I grew a set of sixteen tomato plants in the cups from SM Tay Tay to see how well they would grow. All but one showed signs of growth. If I had more time the plants would have been able to grow to full size and have been able to produce tomatoes that could be eaten. Instead, I made a flier and went out into the Philippine community and talked to them about how tomatoes can be used to improve ones health. The flier contained information of about the tomato and how it is beneficial for the health of people in the Philippine community. I did this through one of my favorite activities, and that is playing basketball. I went to Cuatro with a group of guys and played basketball with a group of Filipinos. It was fun to talk with them about my project and to bond with them through playing basketball. They found it interesting at how beneficial tomatoes can be for your health, and they were interested because of this.

 

 

Here are the results from the four most successful plants that I grew during this experiment:

 

 PLANT     HEIGHT    # Of Stems     # Of Leaves      SEEDS

 

     A            12 cm.             1                        9                      3

 

     B             13 cm.             2                       9                      2

 

     C             6.5 cm.            1                       8                      1

 

     D             11 cm.             1                       5                      1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EVIDENCE OF ACTION STEP

 

Subject: Solanum lycopersicum, commonly known as the pomodoro in the Philippines.

Solution: Use tomatoes to improve health.

 

 

I talked to several people at this basketball court about the positive affects that tomato has on the body. I shared with them how I was growing them from recycled cups at SM Tay Tay and how to grow them in their home if they were interested.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is me talking to a couple Filipinos in Cuatro about the good uses for tomatoes. They were surprised at how good tomatoes were for the body and were glad that I played basketball with them.

 

 

EVIDENCE OF ACTION STEP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above) This is a picture of me with some of the children at Cuatro. I talked to them about how eating healthy food is good for them. I used the tomato as an example.

 

Below Left )This is the court that I played basketball at when I talked to the Filipinos in the Cuatro community. Below Right) More people that I talked to about my project at Cuatro.

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EVIDENCE OF ACTION STEP

 

• This is sample of the brochure flier that I handed out to people while I was at Cuatro.

 

 

TOMATOS ARE GOOD!

 

Both for you and for your taste buds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grown in cups found in the trash at SM Tay Tay

 

KEEP OUR WORLD GREEN!

 

 

 

 

BIBLICAL RATIONALE/PRINCIPLES

 

All over the Bible are verses talking about how we are to be stewards of this Earth that God has created. This earth is not ours- it is Gods and because of his supreme grace and love for us he allows us to take care of his temple. When I think about how we abuse Gods great creation through what we create and how we lay wreck to Gods creation, it makes me feel ashamed. In Psalms 104: 30-32 it says “May the glory of the Lord endure forever; May the Lord rejoice in his works.” Is God rejoicing when he sees how we treat his marvelous creation? When he sees how we neglect and abuse his creation without regard to who brought this earth into existence, you would think that he would be ashamed and enraged. When God created the earth in Genesis he said that it was good; is the earth still good even though we litter in it and pollute it constantly? I think that it would be hard for God to love us when he sees how we live everyday. When he sees how we treat the earth that he made for us, how does he react? I think that a God who would send his own son to die for us, as it says in John 3:16 would be nearly impossible to lose Gods love. He loves us even though we are so undeserving of his love.