The Effect of Hazelnut Husk Compost and Tea Waste Compost Mixtures on Yield and Some Plant Characteristics of Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L. var. crispa )

The use of local organic wastes as growing media offers an economical and environmentally friendly approach. This study is the first to investigate the effects of hazelnut husk compost (HHC) and tea waste compost (TWC) mixtures on yield and quality in soilless lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. crispa) cultivation. The experiment included seven growing media: 100% TWC, 80% TWC + 20% HHC, 60% TWC + 40% HHC, 50% TWC + 50% HHC, 40% TWC + 60% HHC, 20% TWC + 80% HHC, and 100% HHC mixtures were used as growing media. The study was conducted using a randomized experimental design with three replications, considering each pot as a plot. Plant yield, leaf number, leaf length and width, leaf dry weight, chroma, hue, root length, root dry weight, and vitamin C content were measured. Plant yield varied up to 21.05% depending on the growing medium, with a maximum variation of 34.46% observed in the ‘Funly’ cultivar. The lowest yields were recorded in the pure compost media. The 60% TWC + 40% HHC mixture showed superior performance in terms of plant yield, number of leaves, leaf length, and root length. Differences in yield and quality parameters were observed among cultivars depending on the medium. The combined use of HHC and TWC proved more effective for both productivity and quality in lettuce cultivation.