USEING ALGAL ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Abstract

Algae have been explored as inorganic nutrient sources, human and animal food and biochemical products. Several beaches in the northeastern state of Alagoas, Brazil, frequently experience large amounts of algal drifts, representing a huge amount of biomass that could be used as an organic fertilizer for coastal farmers. The purpose of this study was to observe the growth and development of lettuce grown using algal with organic fertilizers. The lettuce was grown in the following conditions: controlled, soil neither algal powder nor cattle manure, soil plus 5% of algal powder, and soil plus 5% of cattle manure. The lettuce plantlets were transferred to a substrate and harvested with after 60 days. The fresh and dry mass, shoot and root length of the lettuce plants, and the mineral nutrient content of the algae fertilizer were evaluated as parameters Algae fertilizers have low levels of phosphorus and but have suitable levels of other mineral nutrients when compared to other organic fertilizers. Algal fertilizers induced a similar growth response in lettuce plants compared to cattle manure. Overall, this data lets us conclude that algal drifts, with the addition of phosphorus and potassium, might be a good resource as an organic fertilizer.