Recycled abattoir blood waste enhances soil fertility and lettuce yield in low nutrient tropical soils of Ghana

The application of chemical fertilizers has successfully improved crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa, but their use by smallholder farmers is constrained by high cost, unreliable supply, and a lack of technical knowhow. Excessive inorganic fertilizer use is reported to induce soil acidity and increase greenhouse gases emission and eutrophication. This study was carried out to examine the effect of Blood Meal application from abattoir blood waste on soil pH, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, contents. The study assessed the concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, calcium and those of micronutrients such as copper, zinc and iron, and the growth and yield of lettuce in the blood meal amended soils. The experimental design used was randomized complete block design (RCBD) comprising four treatments with four replications. The result showed that both the sole blood meal and the combined blood meal and inorganic NPK fertilizer applications improved soil pH, soil organic matter content, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, and exchange potassium contents. as well as the concentrations of macro and microelements in lettuce relative to the chemical fertilizer. The study also showed that lettuce yield in the blood meal amended soil was 151%, 43.4%, and 13.3% higher compared to the control, sole chemical fertilizer, and the combined blood meal and chemical fertilizer treatments, respectively. In conclusion, applying blood meal from abattoir blood waste can improve soil chemical properties, nutrient concentration, and the growth, and yield of lettuce under field conditions.