Improvement of lettuce growth and yield with spacing, mulching and organic fertilizer

The experiment was conducted in a field in Karaj-Iran to find out the effects of spacing, mulch and organic fertilizer on the growth and yield of lettuce.Four levels of spacing (40×40 cm, 40×35 cm, 40×30 cm and 40×25 cm),two cultivation systems(mulch and nomulch) and two different types oforganic fertilizers (humic acid and vitamint) were conducted onLactuca sativa cv. Iceberg at the Engineer Zeraee's field.The treatmentswere set up ina split plot factorial design based on the randomized complete block design with three replications.According to results of experiment, plantspacingshowed significant effects onstem diameter, stem weight, stem fresh weight, stem dry matter, leaf number, stem dry weight, leaf dry weight, total yield, NO3 %, P %and K%. Mulching had significant effects on stem length, stem diameter, stem weight, head diameter, leaf number, bud number, stem fresh weight, stem dry matter and total yield. Also stem length, stem diameter, stem weight, bud number, leaf dry weight and K%were significantly affected by organic fertilizer. The highesttotal yield of lettuce was obtained from spacing 40×35 cm and the lowest observed in spacing 40×40. Although vitamint showed better effect on lettuce growth, organic fertilizer hadn't significant effect on total yield. Finally, total yield increased with mulch application compare with no mulch treatment.

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