Sustainable Production of Lettuce Using Different Nutrient Solutions and Substrate Mixtures | ||
| Journal of Sustainable Agricultural and Environmental Sciences | ||
| Volume 4, Issue 3, September 2025, Pages 65-74 PDF (627.44 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original research paper | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jsaes.2025.415025.1163 | ||
| Authors | ||
| M. E. M. Ahmed1; Mohammed Abul-Soud2; Lamiaa Ghazy3; Rasha Selim* 4; Karam Farrag5; Shady Abdelmawgoud6 | ||
| 1Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt | ||
| 2Central Laboratory for Agricultural Climate, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki 12411, Giza, Egypt | ||
| 3Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt | ||
| 4Department of horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University, Egypt | ||
| 5Central Laboratory for Environmental Quality Monitoring (CLEQM), National Water Research Center, Dokki | ||
| 6Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Using organic and eco-friendly alternatives, such as soil natural substrates and biofertilizers, helps preserve soil health, reduce chemical dependence, prevent pollution and promote sustainable agriculture practices. This study was carried out at Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University during 2023 and 2024 growing seasons to investigate the effects of various substrate mixtures and nutrient solution sources on the growth, yield, and chemical composition of lettuce, aiming to identify optimal cultivation strategies. The results obtained revealed that sand + vermicompost (8:2) mixture emerged as the unequivocally superior growing medium. It consistently promoted enhanced photosynthetic efficiency (higher chlorophyll), robust vegetative development (greater plant height, increased leaf number and overall biomass), and significantly improved marketable yield (higher fresh and dry weights of lettuce heads). This substrate also demonstrated a remarkable ability to elevate the nutritional quality of lettuce leaves, leading to higher total protein and nitrogen content. Its comprehensive benefits are attributed to its optimal physical properties, sustained nutrient release, and the beneficial microbial activity contributed by vermicompost. The "organic + chemical" nutrient solution generally fostered superior overall vegetative growth and significantly enhanced the nutritional quality (protein and nitrogen content) of lettuce leaves. Collectively, using the combination of sand + vermicompost (8:2) as the substrate in conjunction with an "organic + chemical" nutrient solution could be an excellent substrate for plant development, biomass accumulation, and the nutritional profile of the harvested lettuce. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Lettuce; organic solution; soilless culture; vermicompost; peatmoss | ||
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