Urine as a fertilizer for lettuce grown in greenhouse conditions
Mburu, Catherine (2012)
Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu
2012
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2012102914699
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2012102914699
Tiivistelmä
Human urine has a fertilizer value that can be utilized to ensure sustainability in agriculture. This can be successful when the urine is safely used.
In this experiment, urine from the dry toilet of Tampere University of Applied sciences was used to grow Australian Leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa). According to Finnish regulations concerning lettuce fertilization, the recommended amount of nitrogen is 90 kg N/ha. Thus urine treatment with 90 kg N/ha was used. Additionally, two other treatments i.e. double the recommended (180 kg N/ha) and half the recommended (45 kg N/ha) were used. As a control, the lettuce was planted without the use of any fertilizer and artificial fertilizer. The nutrient analysis for the soil was done before and after the experiment together with the growth and yield of the lettuce monitored during the experiment. The results were compared with those of lettuce grown using artificial fertilizer and one with no fertilizer.
Over all, lettuce grown using urine fertilizer showed commendable growth compared to those of artificial fertilizer. The different treatment showed varying results to the degree of the amount of fertilizer added. The double treatment (180kg N/ha) of recommended fertilizer had the highest yield in average weight, height and width. The magnesium content of the leaves was also highest in the double urine fertilizer treatment.
To maximize the assimilation of plants nutrients, the urine fertilizer application mode should be considered prior to planting to ensure minimal loss via evaporation irrespective of the scale of farming. The experiment proved that the use of human urine as a fertilizer can be used all year round even in harsh climatic conditions like the winter in the confines of a greenhouse.
In this experiment, urine from the dry toilet of Tampere University of Applied sciences was used to grow Australian Leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa). According to Finnish regulations concerning lettuce fertilization, the recommended amount of nitrogen is 90 kg N/ha. Thus urine treatment with 90 kg N/ha was used. Additionally, two other treatments i.e. double the recommended (180 kg N/ha) and half the recommended (45 kg N/ha) were used. As a control, the lettuce was planted without the use of any fertilizer and artificial fertilizer. The nutrient analysis for the soil was done before and after the experiment together with the growth and yield of the lettuce monitored during the experiment. The results were compared with those of lettuce grown using artificial fertilizer and one with no fertilizer.
Over all, lettuce grown using urine fertilizer showed commendable growth compared to those of artificial fertilizer. The different treatment showed varying results to the degree of the amount of fertilizer added. The double treatment (180kg N/ha) of recommended fertilizer had the highest yield in average weight, height and width. The magnesium content of the leaves was also highest in the double urine fertilizer treatment.
To maximize the assimilation of plants nutrients, the urine fertilizer application mode should be considered prior to planting to ensure minimal loss via evaporation irrespective of the scale of farming. The experiment proved that the use of human urine as a fertilizer can be used all year round even in harsh climatic conditions like the winter in the confines of a greenhouse.