The Effect of Chicken Manure on Plant Growth Nutrient Content and Yield of Lettuce

Özlem Altuntaş, Rabia Küçük, Lale Ersoy

Department of Horticulture, Agriculture Faculty, Malatya Turgut Ozal University, 44100 Battalgazi/Malatya, Turkey.

Abstract: The harmful effects of chemicals used in agricultural production (such as pesticides, fertilizers) on human and public health have started to reveal themselves. In recent years, the usage rates of organic, organomineral, soil conditioners, and microbial fertilizers have increased in addition to chemical and farm fertilizers to increase the productivity in crop production. While the productivity of agricultural soils increases with the use of organic fertilizers, the improvement of soil properties plays a key role in ensuring the sustainability of soils, and obtaining healthy agricultural products. The use of organic fertilizer in soils changes the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil in a positive way. Among the organic fertilizers, chicken fertilizers constitute an important place. In this study; the effect of different doses (300 kg da^-1, 500 kg^-1) of organic material obtained from chicken manure as organic fertilizer on plant growth, yield, and nutrient content of lettuce were investigated. The experiment was carried out as a pot test under greenhouse conditions in Malatya. Applied two doses of organic fertilizer were compared with chemical fertilization. As a result of this study, organic fertilizer applications, which does not have as much acidity and smell as chicken manure, has revealed the possibilities of using organic manure in vegetable growing.

Keywords: Chicken manure, lettuce (Lactuca sativa), nutrient element contents, plant development, organic fertilizer, yield.

Pages: 9 – 18 | Full PDF Paper