Efficiency of an agrotextile surface structure possessing fertilizer and water management coupled with mulching property in romaine lettuce growth trials

The aim of this work was to reveal the potential use of an innovative agrotextile structure for sustainable development in agriculture. Pursuing this goal, an agrotextile structure was generated which was called controlled release fertilizer due to having an efficient fertilizer management. This structure had also water absorption/retention and mulching properties. In order to examine its efficacy in agricultural practices, the agrotextile structure was utilized in the lettuce growth trials in addition to traditional fertilizer usage by applying different irrigation regimes (100% and 50%). Afterwards, plant growth was studied in terms of agronomical, physiological, chemical, and root morphological properties by harvesting the plants in three periods. The best results were obtained with the agrotextile structure (controlled release fertilizer) at the second harvest and with the traditional fertilizer at the last harvest when 100% irrigation regime was applied. Besides, the developed agrotextile structure was determined to function better than the traditional fertilizer usage even when the irrigation water was reduced.