EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF Lactuca sativa UNDER FOUR DIFFERENT ORGANIC FERTILIZERS AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT ON THE SOIL HEALTH
MOHAMED ANLI
Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-CNRST-05), "Physiology of Abiotic Stresses" Team, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech - 40000, Morocco and Faculty of Science Semlalia, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, Marrakesh, Morocco.
ABDERRAHIM BOUTASKNIT
Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-CNRST-05), "Physiology of Abiotic Stresses" Team, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech - 40000, Morocco and Faculty of Science Semlalia, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, Marrakesh, Morocco.
RAJA BEN-LAOUANE
Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-CNRST-05), "Physiology of Abiotic Stresses" Team, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech - 40000, Morocco and Faculty of Science Semlalia, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, Marrakesh, Morocco.
MOHAMED AIT-EL-MOKHTAR
Faculty of Science Semlalia, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, Marrakesh, Morocco.
YOUSSEF AIT-RAHOU
Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-CNRST-05), "Physiology of Abiotic Stresses" Team, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech - 40000, Morocco.
OUISSAME RAHO
Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-CNRST-05), "Physiology of Abiotic Stresses" Team, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech - 40000, Morocco and Faculty of Science Semlalia, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, Marrakesh, Morocco.
ABDESSAMAD FAKHECH
Faculty of Science Semlalia, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, Marrakesh, Morocco.
ABDELILAH MEDDICH *
Center of Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering, Research Unit Labelled CNRST (Centre AgroBiotech-URL-CNRST-05), "Physiology of Abiotic Stresses" Team, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech - 40000, Morocco and Faculty of Science Semlalia, Laboratory of Agro-Food, Biotechnologies and Valorization of Plant Bioresources, Cadi Ayyad University, P.O. Box 2390, Marrakesh, Morocco.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
To test the effects of organic fertilizers (OF) supplementation on the crop yield, soil characteristics and agro-physiological traits of lettuce plants in field conditions, an experiment was carried out using four OF: horse manure-green waste (OF1), poultry manure-green waste (OF2), olive pomace-green waste (OF3) and phosphate sludge-green waste (OF4) applied on lettuce plants. Results revealed that OF4 was the most effective increasing lettuce yield by 104% compared to the control. Plant nitrogen and phosphorus were significantly enhanced in OF-plants. As for physiological traits, leaf area index, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll fluorescence were improved by OF4, while chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll and carotenoid concentration were significantly enhanced under OF1-plants. Total soluble sugars and proteins concentration were enhanced in all OF-plants and the highest increases were registered in lettuce plants under OF1 and OF2 by 112 and 91% and 85 and 92%, respectively. In addition, soil total organic carbon and nitrogen were significantly improved by OF3, while soil phosphorus and total glomalin was enhanced by OF4. These findings highlighted the OF ability to improve lettuce productivity and its soil quality under field conditions, especially with OF4 treatment which was the most effective to promote lettuce productivity and soil fertility.
Keywords: Organic fertilizers, soil analysis, lettuce productivity, agro-physiological traits, climate change