RESPONSE OF LETTUCE (Lactuca sativa L.) APPLIED WITH DIFFERENT FERMENTED PLANT JUICE AS FOLIAR ORGANIC PLANT SUPPLEMENT

Natural farming practices strive to maximize the utilization of locally available resources in agricultural production, and one such resource is fermented plant juices (FPJ).These juices serve as a rich source of essential nutrients, plant hormones, and minerals that directly impact the growth and development of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.).To investigate the effects of various fermented plant juices as foliar nutrients, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the lettuce growth and yield performance.The treatments consisted of different plant extracts, namely Ipomoea aquatica, Leucaena leucocephala, and Moringa oleifera.The study findings indicate that there was a notable increase in plant height (p<0.05) at fifty (50) days after application.Additionally, it was observed that there was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the number of leaves at twenty-one (21) days of growing.Significant performance on lettuce also were found in terms of its yield as well as on the plant diameter (p<0.05).Among the various plant extracts tested, the leaves of Malunggay demonstrated superior performance and displayed comparability with the commercial foliar fertilizer.This finding suggests that Moringa oleifera extract has the potential to be effectively utilized as a foliar fertilizer for lettuce, offering advantages such as safe to use and costeffectiveness for farmers.By harnessing the benefits of locally available resources like Moringa oleifera, natural farming practices can offer sustainable and economically viable alternatives to conventional chemical fertilizers.