Effect of Sounds on Pechay

Chapter I

Introduction

Sound is an intangible being that can be perceive by means of hearing. It is mechanical disturbance in an elastic medium such as a gas, a liquid, or a solid. This mechanical disturbance, which is defined as physical change in the medium, is propagated by the medium as sound wave. A sound wave is caused by vibrations that pass through a material medium because of the medium’s elasticity. Sounds cannot travel in a vacuum just like light does, it needs to have a medium to travel through.

Plant can be affected by vibrations and as people know sound is produced by a vibrating membrane which produces a sound wave that causes vibrations. It is believed that sound has a significant effect on the growth of plants. Previous research studies have been conducted regarding this case, however the effect of sound on plant growth is still unclear among scientists and experts. Several experiments have already been executed by both scientists and students to prove that sound stimulation improves the growth of plants.

Pechay (Brassica rapa, subspecies pekinensis and chinensis) is an erect, biennial herb of about 15-30 cm tall when in vegetative stage. It can be grown from low to mid elevations throughout the year. It is also a very popular vegetable in the Philippines and can be cooked with different recipes and is also very affordable. This crop can be found in almost every market in the country. Pechay is also a very nutritious vegetable that can keep you healthy in terms of attaining stronger bones and glowing skin. It is one of the popular foods of people who are in diet since it is a fibrous vegetable. This plant will be used in this research study regarding its reaction to sounds by different duration.

Background of the Study

There are already several research studies regarding the effect of sound in plant. However there is still no strong evidence that supports the case. Some of the studies that have been conducted reported that classical music...