Productivity enhancement of organic lettuce through use of organic manures, biofertilizers and bio-stimulants

Abstract

Production of reasonable head yield is a challenge for the
organic lettuce growers. An attempt had been made to
increase lettuce head yield and quality by intervening
biofertilizer’s seedling root dipping and foliar spray of biostimulants
along with basal organic manure. Field
investigations were conducted at UBKV, Pundibari, Cooch
Behar,West Bengal, India during November to February of
2014-2015 and 2015-2016 by evaluating thirteen treatment
combinations replicated thrice in randomized block design.
Results revealed that significantly higher plant height (20.25
cm), number of non-wrapper leaves (11.60), ascorbic acid
content (6.24 mg/100g) were recorded by the application of
vermicompost (6 t/ha) as basal along with seedling root
dipping with Azophos biofertilizer and foliar spray of
seaweed extract. However, the maximum head weight (436.98
g/plant) and yield (30.59 t/ha) as well as vitamin A content
(370.63 IU/100g) were observed in the treatment containing
basal application of vermicompost (6 t/ha) along with
seedling root dipping with Azophos biofertilizer and foliar
spray of humic acid.