Effect of Vermicompost and Terrestrial Isopod (Porcellio laevis) Fertilizers on The Yield and Quality of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata cv. Wismar)

Abstract

Terrestrial isopods (woodlice) (Isopoda.: Oniscidea) are important members of soil macrofauna in many habitats. Although the role of woodlice in decomposing organic matter and recycling nutrients is well known, there is no available data on the utilization of fertilizer obtained using terrestrial isopods in agricultural production. To evaluate the effects of the addition of vermicompost and the fertilizer obtained using terrestrial isopod species Porcellio laevis Latreille, 1804 in different ratios to plant growing media on nutrient content and yield of lettuce, nine different mixtures containing 1, 5, 10, and 20% of each fertilizer [v/v, including agricultural soil (control)] were used. As result, while the total and head weight of the control plant was 69.66 g and 59.53 g respectively, the highest values were obtained from the mixtures containing 20% vermicompost with 154.33 g and 150.66 g, and this followed by isopod fertilizer (20%). The vitamin C and chlorophyll (SPAD) content of plants grown in all mixtures were higher than control and there were no significant differences in respect to phenolic matter and nitrate. The fertilizer produced by using P. laevis, which can evaluate many kinds of agricultural and household organic wastes can be confidently used or added to media.