Different sources of nutrients in the production and quality of “Veneranda” curly lettuce

Abstract

Driven by the growing demand for good quality food, agriculture is changing the way of cultivation to attend consumer’s expectations. In addition to the nutritional value, the production system has been an important factor in the consumer’s intention to purchase products. In this scenario, this work aimed to evaluate the effects of different nutrient sources on production characteristics and nutritional quality of 'Veneranda' lettuce. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design, with seven treatments (control, bokashi, organic compost, mineral fertilizer, mineral fertilizer + organic compost, foliar biofertilizer and soil biofertilizer), and five replications. In commercial vegetative stage, lettuce was harvested and evaluated for physical, physicochemical, bioactive compounds and mineral composition. Lettuce produced with mineral and organomineral fertilizers showed the highest yield of physical characteristics, which is related to the highest nitrogen content in their leaves. The use of organomineral fertilization, organic and mineral compost and biofertilizer via leaf application presented a positive effect on lettuce cultivation, with better nutritional quality and productivity.