Original research article
Impact of Compost Application Rate on Lettuce Plant Growth and Soil Agrochemical Status
2023, 88 (3) p. 187-192
Veselina Vasileva, Nikolai Dinev, Vania Mitova, Ana Katsarova, Mariana Hristova
Abstract
One way to reduce environmental stress and safeguard soil fertility and ecological sustainability in crop production is by adding compost to the soil substrate. Supplying the soil with organic matter improves its chemical and physical characteristics, leading to better plant growth and development and increasing yield. The study presents a pot experiment with lettuce on leached cinnamon forest soil (Chromic Luvisol). Research has studied changes in soil NPK before and after vegetation and the effects of the compost on plant production and quality. Increasing the amount of compost in the soil substrate led to an increase in the fresh mass and yield of lettuce and to an increase in the accumulated N, P, and K (%) in the plant tissues (R2=0.91, 0.96 and 0.68, respectively). After the experiment's conclusion, the soils remained very well stocked in P2O5 content. The K2O stock in the soil was medium, i.e. when compost is applied, plant-available potassium increases relative to the initial soil. Total N remained very low; the applied composts provided large amounts of nitrogen for growing lettuce but did not leave the soil in good ecological status.
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