Assessment of the effect of low-input sustainable agricultural practices on growth, yield, and profitability of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

The present study was conducted to evaluate the impact of different levels of Jeevamrit and Ghanjeevamrit on the growth, yield, quality, and profitability of lettuce under low-input sustainable agriculture (LISA) conditions in the mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. A factorial randomized block design was employed, with nine treatment combinations. The results revealed that higher doses of Jeevamrit and Ghanjeevamrit significantly improved all measured parameters. The maximum number of leaves (31.32), leaf length (23.90 cm), and iron content (2.40 mg/100 g) were recorded in treatment T₉. Similarly, T₉ also produced the highest head weight (587.41 g) and marketable yield (22.57 t/ha), resulting in the maximum benefit-cost ratio (3.26). On the contrary, the lowest performance was observed in T₁, with only 25.52 leaves, 16.68 cm leaf length, 1.96 mg/100 g iron content, 392.21 g head weight, 15.77 t/ha yield, and 2.33 B:C ratio. These findings indicate that the integrated use of higher levels of Jeevamrit and Ghanjeevamrit can significantly enhance lettuce productivity and profitability, making them promising components for sustainable nutrient management in Low-Input Sustainable Agricultural farming system.