Effect of poultry manure on the growth and yield of leaf mustard (Brassica juncea) and lettuce (Latuca sativa) grown on bris soil

A.H. Lim

Abstract

Two leafy vegetables i.e. leaf mustard (Brassica juncea) and lettuce (Latuca sativa), were grown on a coastal sandy soil (bris) with increasing rates of poultry manure (PM), with and without inorganic fertiliser (IF). The rates of PM applied were 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 t/ha and IF (N:P 2O5:K2O = 12:12:17:2) was applied at the rate of 1 t/ha, giving altogether 10 treatments. For both vegetables, 10 t/ha PM gave higher yields than IF alone. Yields obtained with PM as the sole source of nutrients ranged from 62 – 96% of the yields with PM + IF for leaf mustard and 88 – 113% for lettuce. Yield responses to increasing rates of organic fertiliser for leaf mustard showed a quadratic trend represented by the equation Y = –0.0181x² + 1.0534x + 2.5537. The optimum rate of poultry manure was 29.1 t/ha and the yield obtained was 17.9 t/ha. For lettuce, the yield response is represented by the equation Y = –0.0067x² + 0.6239x + 6.6947. The optimum rate of poultry manure was 46.6 t/ha and the yield obtained was 21.2 t/ha.

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