The Effects of Different Substrates on the Quality of Seedlings and Yield in Organic Production of Lettuce

An experiment was conducted under glasshouse condition. Lettuce were sown in 5 different substrate: 100% earthworm; 60% earthworm + 40% potting soil; 85% earthwarm + 15% potting soil; 100% potting soil; certified organic substrate from the market (mix of white and black peat). The quality parameters of seedlings were noted: number of days from sowing to emergence, development of first leaf, total number of emerged plants. During vegetation are recorded dates about dynamics of growth. On the harvested yield were counted number of marketable and damaged leafs, diameter and height of head were determined and total weight of heads. Recorded results show that best substrate for production of seedlings of organic lettuce are mix of 60% earthwarm + 40% potting soil and commercial mix of white and black peats