2019 ASHS Annual Conference

Poultry manure is a locally available and relatively cheap waste material that organic lettuce growers can use to improve yield and nutrient content of their crops. Similarly, African bush tea, which is considered an unwanted plant in the study area, is in abundance and has the ability to suppress weeds, pathogens, and pesst. The expected outcome of this research would make it possible to lessen the escalating effects of human diseases such as cancer arising from the use of chemical fertilizers and herbicides for lettuce production. Besides all these, farmers’ income will improve when they use less chemical fertilizers and herbicides for growing crops. In order to achieve the above outcome a field experiment was conducted during the 2018 rainy season at the Teaching and Research Farm of Samaru College of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria to assess the effects of poultry manure and application of African bush tea on growth and yield of lettuce. The treatments consisted of five levels of poultry manure (0, 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 tonnes ha^-1 ) and a control, which is the application of 593 kg N/ha^-1) and two levels of African bush tea (0 and 1.6 tonnes/ha^-1). The treatments were factorially combined and arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), replicated tree times. All cultural practices involved in the production of lettuce were carried out as normal. Data collected was subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using General Linear Model GLM of the Statistical Analysis System package and the means were separated using the Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that application of 4.5 tons per ha of poultry manure gave the highest yield, while application of African bush tea gave no significant difference in the yield and weed control ability of lettuce. Based on the findings farmers are advised to use 4.5 tons per ha of poultry manure which gave the highest yield for lettuce. There is need for further study on the quantity of African bush tea on the yield and its weed control abilities in lettuce production.