Effect of wool pellets on soil fertility and lettuce growth in three soil types
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25081/jaa.2025.v11.9572Keywords:
Agroecology, Lettuce, Organic fertilizer, Soil amendment, Wool pellets, WoolAbstract
Since 2010, South America has been experiencing a prolonged megadrought, with a 40% reduction in annual rainfall, further intensified by climate change. This situation has led to a severe decline in water reserves, impacting agriculture and food security. To mitigate these effects, the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, such as the use of sheep wool as an organic fertilizer, has been explored. This study evaluated the impact of wool pellets on lettuce growth and soil properties across different substrates. Lettuce seedlings were cultivated in 1 L pots with various soil types (sand, clay, and peat) and different wool pellet doses: a control group (C), a group with 5 g/L (W5), and one with 10 g/L (W10). Plant growth parameters and soil properties were monitored over a period of 120 days. The addition of wool pellets improved soil moisture retention and chemical properties, with moisture levels increasing by 3% to 25% compared to the control, particularly during dry periods. An increase in nitrate (41-54%) and potassium (10-53%) concentrations was observed in both soil and lettuce leaves (1.4 times) compared to the control, particularly in sandy and clay soils. Lettuce growth was significantly enhanced under the W10 treatment, which showed the highest increases in plant weight (2.5 times), leaf number (1.4 times), and height (1.4 times) compared to the control. Wool pellets may thus serve as an effective tool for optimizing soil management in low-fertility environments, promoting more sustained and resilient plant growth under variable water availability.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Lina Maria Correa, Giordano Catenacci Aguilera, Marcela Gómez Ceruti
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