Iceberg Lettuce and Radicchio Chicory Organic Management of Amendment and Fertigation

Abstract

The aim of the study is to investigate low-cost sources of organic-allowed inputs for iceberg lettuce and chicory radicchio vegetative growth. Experiments were conducted under protected cultivation. The following treatments were used: boiled chicken manure for fertigation (2.5; 5; 7.5; and 10%); Bokashi as a mineral fertilizer N-P-K (4-14-8) in the substrate; and the control (water). The total leaf biomass (TLB) (g), commercial leaf biomass (CLB) (g), plant diameter (DIA) (cm), plant height (HEI) (cm), number of leaves (NL) (for lettuce only), and chlorophyll index (CLO) (Falker index) were evaluated. The mineral fertilizer provided the highest means of production variables for both lettuce and chicory. For iceberg lettuce, the means of an organic treatment were similar to the mineral fertilizer only for the CLO variable and for the NL in BCM 10%. For radicchio chicory, the organic treatments had similar means to the mineral fertilizer for the DIA and CLO. Only Bokashi had a similar mean to mineral for the HEI variable.