Growth and marketable yield of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) as affected by bio-slurry and chemical fertilizer application

• Published in: Heliyon
• Main Authors: Meskelu, Tsigereda, Senbeta, Abate Feyissa, Keneni, Yadessa Gonfa, Sime, Getachew
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2023
• Subjects: Research Article; Parris; Iceland
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10758858/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38169904; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23600

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of bio-slurry (BS) and chemical fertilizer (CF) application on the growth and yield of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. Parris Iceland Cos). Field experiment consisting of six treatments (100 % BS, 75 % BS + 25 % CF, 50 % BS + 50 % CF, 25 % BS + 75 % CF, 100 % CF and the control) was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results showed that the combined application of BS and CF significantly increased lettuce yield and its constituents at p < 0.05. More specifically, the maximum plant height (31.4 cm), leaf area (4914.5 cm(2)), and yield (38.34 ton ha(−1)) were obtained with the combined application of 75 % CF and 25 % BS. Aside from that, yield and its components showed a positive correlation. Using BS alone or in combination with CF could increase lettuce yield while also potentially saving money on CF purchases. Overall, combining CF and BS in a 3:1 ratio could be an optimum rate for growing lettuce in the study area.