Increasing pechay (Brassica rapa L. ssp. chinensis) production through suitable seedling establishment under two cultivation systems in the Southern Philippines

Seedling management is very important in leafy vegetable with short period of growing as it covers almost half of the production period. Pechay is considered a high value and a highly demanded leaf vegetable in the Philippines. These studies were conducted to determine the best method of raising pechay seedlings including direct seeding, seed box and seedling tray under two cultivation systems in different provinces of southern Philippines namely Bohol, Leyte and Samar. The studies were conducted in each province and data were consolidated and combined. Protected cultivation slightly manifested benefits on survival, root characteristics and yield except in Bohol where 3 times fold yield of plants under protective structure than open field. There was better survival and yield of using seedling tray. The unfavorable method was seed box in Bohol and Leyte while direct seeding in Samar as evident by low survival and yield. Among the three provinces in southern Philippines, Leyte produced the highest yield of pechay per unit area. This suggests that no similar method of raising seedlings was effective in different parts of southern Philippines.