Sustainable horticultural production in support of small producers in General Artigas, Itapúa – 2025

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of four application levels of soil amendments of animal and plant origin on the growth and productivity of bell peppers, onions, carrots, and lettuce on small farms in the General Artigas district of Itapúa, Paraguay. A randomized complete block design with a 4 × 4 factorial arrangements was implemented, considering four amendment levels (0, 20,000, 30,000, and 40,000 kg·ha?¹) as Factor A and four horticultural species (bell pepper, onion, carrot, and lettuce) as Factor B, with three replications, totaling 48 experimental units. Specific traits for each species were evaluated, such as plant height, number of leaves, bulb, root, or fruit diameter and weight, and yield. The results showed that the application of the organic amendment promoted the growth and productivity of onion and lettuce crops, with the greatest effects observed at levels of 30,000 and 40,000 kg·ha?¹. For carrots, the 30,000 kg·ha?¹ level promoted greater plant height and yield, whereas root morphological variables showed no effect from the amendment levels. In the case of bell peppers, the levels evaluated did not have a significant effect on the variables analyzed. Overall, the results demonstrate that a mixture of cattle manure and forest mulch, applied as an organic amendment, offers an alternative for improving the agronomic performance of horticultural crops, with the potential to contribute to the sustainability of family farming systems and to food security.