ORGANIC LIQUID FERTILIZER PRODUCTION FROM SHEEP MANURE AND ONION PEELS AND TESTING ITS EFFECTIVENESS ON LETTUCE ( Lactuca sativa L) UNDER HYDROPONIC CONDITION

Organic liquid fertilizer not only increases organic fertility of crops but also accelerates their maturation and nutrient quality. Thus, the present study was aimed at producing organic liquid fertilizer from sheep manure and onion peels through aerobic conditions where after 50 days the solution was converted into organic liquid fertilizer. The experimental design used was complete randomized design (CRD) in two replications. Quantitative analysis was made for composition of plant macronutrients and quality including Percentage of Carbon (C), Carbon to Nitrogen ratio (C: N), Potassium (K), power of hydrogen (pH), Electro conductivity (EC), and Calcium (Ca) were found to be significant different between organic liquid fertilizer and compost tea. However there were no significant differences with respect to Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), Magnesium (Mg), and Sodium (Na) contents of the solutions. The nutrient values were analyzed in the organic liquid fertilizer and showed 2.75% N, 1.28% P, 3.46% K, 2.82% Ca, 5.16% Mg, 3.53% Na ,40.8% C, furthermore the quality of liquid organic fertilire14.85% C:N, 1.32% EC, and 7.03% pH, and in the compost solution 2.61% N, 0.82% P ,1.42% K, 1.57% Ca, 3.79% Mg, 1.22% Na, 18.87%C, 7.24% ,the quality of liquid organic fertilizer C:N, 0.65% EC and 10.15% pH. Comparison of mineral composition of organic liquid fertilizer and compost tea solutions with the standard for major macronutrients requirement of plants indicated that the composition of both fertilizer solutions in the present study satisfies the standard with organic liquid fertilizer being higher in mean values for most of the studied mineral plant nutrients. The organic liquid fertilizer produced was evaluated on lettuce grown under hydroponic condition by hydroponic growing lettuce in pots in two replications. It was indicated that above ground biomass (AGBM), head weight plant (HWP), number of leave plant (NLP), and date of maturation (DM) showed significant differences between organic liquid fertilizer solution was performing better than compost tea solution and soil grown plant. The resulting benefits are very likely to fertilize crops, to maintain the stability of nutrient elements in the soil and reduce the bad impacts of chemical fertilizers. The present study has shown that organic liquid fertilizer can be produced using locally available substrates. Small-holder farmers can get economic relief, because this technology can minimize the use of chemical fertilizer which is being expensive and not environmentally friendly.