GROWTH AND YIELD RESPONSE OF LETTUCE TO IRRIGATION AND GROWTH MEDIA FROM COMPOSTED SAWDUST AND RICE HUSK

Abstract

In sub-Saharan Africa, manure and loam soil are popular growing media substrates. However, their poor physiochemical properties limit their use in growing media. Following a survey of farmers, single species sawdust, mixed species sawdust, and rice husk (RH) were selected and composted with poultry manure. Additionally, the RH was charred for use in soilless media. Objectives were to produce feedstock-specific composts and determine appropriate proportion for using them in containerized systems. Three composts produced were amended with soil in ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 (v/v) in an initial experiment. In a second experiment (soilless), the single sawdust and RH compost were each amended with RH biochar in ratios of 1:0, 1:1, 1:2 (v/v) and subjected to half or full pot irrigation. RH compost amended soils gave the highest lettuce yield. In the soilless media, 2:1 ratio (v/v) of biochar to sawdust compost gave the highest yield