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ASSESSING NITROGEN SUPPLY POTENTIAL AND INFLUENCE ON GROWTH OF LETTUCE AND AMARANTHUS OF DIFFERENT AGED COMPOSTS

M. JAVED AKHTAR¹, I. YOUNG², R.J. IRVINE AND C. STURROCK³

Abstract: This study assessed the potential of different composts at different maturity stages to supply N and their effect on the vegetative growth of lettuce and Amaranthus. Five composts aged 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, were mixed with soil @ 5%, 10% and 15% then seeded with lettuce and Amaranthus. Results showed that 1, 3 and 6 month aged composts had a negative effect on plant height of lettuce and Amaranthus as 1–15.78% and 4.78 to 29.45% decrease in plant height over control was recorded respectively. On the other hand 9 and 12 month aged composts had a significant positive effect on plant height of lettuce and Amaranthus where 43.48% and 34.8% increase over control was recorded with the application of 15% of 12 month aged compost respectively. A similar effect was observed on fresh biomass of both lettuce and Amaranthus where a 386% and 59.43% increase over control was recorded with the application of 15% of 12 month aged compost respectively. One and three month aged composts revealed a negative effect on N absorption by lettuce whereas 1, 3, 6 and 9 month aged composts had a negative effect on N absorption by Amaranthus. 30.39% and 21.48% increases over control in N absorption by lettuce and Amaranthus respectively were recorded with the application of 15% of 12 month aged compost.

¹Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

²School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia.

³Seam Research Centre, Waterford, Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland.

Corresponding author E-mail: drmjavedakhtar@yahoo.com