EFFECT OF FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT AND MULCHING ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF LETTUCE

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. Dhaka during the period from October 2004 to February 2005 to study the , . effect of different levels of fertilizer and manure viz. control. organic manure (23.11- t/ha), inorganic fertilizer (Urea 3~2 k&/lta, MP 180 kglba, TSP 158 kgIha) and mixture of organic and inorganic fertilizer (Cowdung 11.5 tJha, Urea 177 kg/ha, TSP 62 kg/ha and MP 63 kglha) and different mulching materials viz. no mulch ~), rice straw (MI). water hyacinth (M2) and black polythene (M3) on the growth and yield of lettuce. The experiment was conducted in the"'Rand()mizedComplete Block Design ~ ... (RCBD) with three replications. "APpliCation of different levels 'of fertilizer and manure significantly influence the growth and yield of lettuce. Organic plus inorganic fertilizer treatment resulted in the highest gross (46.01 tJha) and marketable yield (45.46 t/ha). The highest yield (45.7t1ha) was recorded from black polythene mulch, while the lowest (38.71t/ha) was recorded from unmulch treatment. The combined effect of various levels of fertilizer and manure as well as mulches were ..... also found significant incase of lettuce production. The use of organic plus inorganic fertilizer with black polythene mulch produced the highest gross (50.27 t/ha) and marketable yield (49.62 tlha). The lowest gross (35.44 tJha) and marketable yield (34.9 t/ha ) were recorded from the control treatment where no manure and fertilizer as well as no mulch were used. The benefit cost ratio (BCR) was the maximum (3.23) in the treatment combination of cowdung with water hyacinth mulch whereas, the minimum (2.09) was recorded from the water hyacinth with no fertilizer treatment