Abstract
Lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa L. ’Boston Dark Green’) were sown by fluid drill and as dry seed into soils at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% field capacity (FC). Fluid drilling reduced the time to initial emergence and 50% emergence at soil moisture levels between 50% and 100% FC. At 25% FC, neither seeding method performed well with fluid drilled seed being entrapped inside the carrier gel after it had dehydrated. After 2 wk, no significant difference in final percent emergence was noted between seeding treatments at any soil moisture level. In a second experiment, fluid drilled lettuce seeds emerged earlier and reached 50% emergence sooner than dry seed, germinated seed sown without gel and dry-seed in gel at 40%, 50% and 75% FC. Gel-seeded treatments were not significantly affected by soil moisture whereas the emergence of seeding treatments without gel application was markedly improved as soil moisture content increased. After 2 wk, the percent emergence of dry seeded lettuce at 40% FC was significantly lower than the other seeding treatments. No differences were noted among treatments at 50% FC whereas at 75% FC, the emergence of dry seed in gel was significantly reduced.Key words: Lettuce, fluid drilling
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