Abstract
This research was conducted to evaluate various levels of dolomitic lime incorporated as pre-planting fertilizers on the growth of red-leaf lettuce. To achieve this, three root media were formulated by mixing coir dust with expanded rice hull (CD+ERH, 8:2, v/v), carbonized rice hull (CD+CRH, 6:4, v/v), and ground pine bark (CD+GRPB, 6:4, v/v). During formulation, equal amounts of essential nutrients, except dolomitic lime, were incorporated into all root media and the levels of dolomitic lime were varied from 0 to $7.5g\;L^{-1}$ at 1.5 g increments. Seedlings of red-leaf lettuces at the 3rd leaf stage were transplanted into each medium treatment. Crop growths were measured 5 weeks after transplant and soil solutions were collected every week and analyzed for pH, EC, and nutrient concentrations. The treatments showing the heaviest fresh and dry weights in CD+ERH, CD+CRH, and CD+GRPB were 4.5 g, 4.5 g, and $7.5g\;L^{-1}$ of dolomite, respectively. The pHs of three root media yielding the highest crop growths were in the ranges of 6.4 to 7.1. These ECs in CD+CRH medium were around $1.0dS\;m^{-1}$ higher than those of CD+ERH and CD+GRPB when application rates of dolomitic lime were equal. $K^+$ concentrations were higher than $Ca^{+2}$ and $Mg^{+2}$ concentrations until week 2 in three root media. But $Ca^{+2}$ and $Mg^{+2}$ concentrations were higher than $K^+$ concentrations after week 3 in all root media. The concentrations of $PO_4{^{-3}}$ in all root media got abruptly lower until week 2. These results indicate that appropriate levels of dolomitic lime, as pre-planting nutrient charge fertilizers in CD+ERH and CD+GRPB media, are 4.5 and $7.5g\;L^{-1}$, respectively.
