Growth and Yield of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) as Influenced by the Residual Effects of Guano-Char

Biochar is one of the most important strategy to sequester much carbon in the soil. Biochar in the form of guano is not known to the farmers in the Philippines. Most of its several findings relate directly as soil amendments and little or no findings so far investigated for its residual effects on lettuce. Thus, this study aimed to determine the residual effects of guano-char (GC) on the growth and yield performance of lettuce as influenced by the remnant’s material from corn. Pot experiment was laid out in a single-factorial experiment and arranged in RCBD with the following treatments: T1-control, T2- commercial nutrient solution (CNS), T3-75g GC, T4-150g GC, T5-300g GC, T6- 600g GC. Parameters for plant height; diameters, length and, number of leaves; volume and length of root; foliage fresh and dry weight; and yield were gathered. The results of the study indicated that GC as residue have significantly influenced the plant height; diameter, length and number of leaves; fresh and oven-dried weight of roots; and yield of lettuce 25 days after planting. The residue of 300 grams GC was found to be the optimum level because it is economically more efficient that significantly improved the lettuce growth and yield performance, though comparable with the 600 grams of GC. It considerably surpasses the effect brought about by CNS (inorganic) for almost all parameters, except; for root length and volume of lettuce. The yield achieved by 300 and 600 grams of GC is twice higher than that of CNS.

Keywords – Guano char, Lettuce, Residual Effect, Pot experiment