An attempt to use Moringa products as a natural nutrients source for Lettuce organically production

Abstract

Lettuce is an important leafy vegetable crop, which contains many essential elements and vitamins for human health. The field experiments were conducted at the experimental station of the National Research Centre, Nobaria, Beheira Governorate, (Egypt) during the cultivation seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 to evaluate lettuce productivity (cv. Balady) using moringa seed cake as natural nutrients source comparing with other organic fertilizer (vermicompost) and chemical fertilizer (Ammonium sulfate) as well as a foliar application at two concentrations (5 and 10 g/L) of moringa leaf extract compared to untreated control. The obtained results showed positive effects for soil fertilizer application of moringa seed cake treatment on vegetative characters, i.e., fresh weight (g/plant) and leaf neck width (cm) as well as chemical contents, i.e., dry matter (%) and nitrate content (mg/kg). Moringa seed cake treatment recorded the same value as Ammonium sulfate treatment on their effects on plant height, leaf width and N, P and K content. The foliar application of moringa leaf extract at a higher rate (10g/L) ranked first followed by the rate of 5g/L for improving the vegetative growth characteristics of the lettuce plant and its chemical contents. Concerning the interaction treatments between soil additions and foliar applications of moringa leaf extract, the highest values of fresh weight, plant height, leaf length, leaf width and leaf neck width leaf dry matter, chlorophyll content and macronutrients (NPK) as well as the lowest value of nitrate content were resulted from fertilized lettuce with moringa seed cake and foliar spraying with a higher rate (10g/L) of moringa leaf extract.