Greenhouse crisphead lettuce grown with mulching and under different soil water tensions

Luciano O Geisenhoff,Joaquim A De Lima Junior,Andre L Pereira Da Silva,Geraldo M Pereira,William L Carrera De Aviz

doi:10.1590/1809-4430-eng.agric.v36n1p46-54/2016

Abstract

ABSTRACT Proper irrigation management is important both to enable adequate water supply and to minimize problems with diseases, nutrient leaching and unnecessary water and power wastes. Thus, this study aimed at improving irrigation management in greenhouses. For that reason, we assessed the effect of various water tensions on yield performance of crisphead lettuce, Raider-Plus cv. , grown with mulching. The experiment was conducted in greenhouse at the Federal University of Lavras. Treatments constituted five different soil water tensions, namely 12, 25, 35, 45, and 70 kPa. The results showed that irrigation must be carried out at water soil tension of around 12 kPa to reach satisfying commercial values for both total and commercial yield, 66 and 50 t ha-1, as well as keeping good vegetable quality. At this tension, total water consumption was of 167.25 mm. The water use efficiency demonstrated quadratic response to treatments, with high water consumption efficiency found in intermediate treatments (35 and 45 kPa), achieving values of 579.87 and 471.71 kg ha -1mm-1, respectively.

Highlights

Lettuce is considered the most significant leaf vegetable in the Brazilian diet, which demonstrates its economic relevance and justifies its position as the top leaf vegetable in terms of marketing and consumption (SALA & COSTA, 2012).According to SALA & COSTA (2012), a new group of curly- leafed lettuce, known as crisphead, were introduced to Brazil in the beginning of the 1980’s
As lettuce is a short-cycle and rapid-growth vegetable, it is very demanding in terms of climate conditions, water and nutrients supply; it provides fresh mass in rapid increments throughout its cycle. The strengthening of these needs can be better administered by cultivation in protected environments, in which vegetables can achieve outstanding productions with excellent product quality
The experiment was conducted between July and September in a greenhouse located at the experimental area of the Engineering Department of the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA)

Summary

Introduction

Lettuce is considered the most significant leaf vegetable in the Brazilian diet, which demonstrates its economic relevance and justifies its position as the top leaf vegetable in terms of marketing and consumption (SALA & COSTA, 2012).According to SALA & COSTA (2012), a new group of curly- leafed lettuce, known as crisphead, were introduced to Brazil in the beginning of the 1980’s. From the 1990’s, this variety had an increased market demand in Brazil, rising from 9% in 1995, to more than 34% in 2010 Such growth was related to the rise of fast- food chains, which required this type of lettuce, mainly in large urban centers where a few regions stood out for growing this type of crop. As lettuce is a short-cycle and rapid-growth vegetable, it is very demanding in terms of climate conditions, water and nutrients supply; it provides fresh mass in rapid increments throughout its cycle The strengthening of these needs can be better administered by cultivation in protected environments, in which vegetables can achieve outstanding productions with excellent product quality. It is of upmost importance the use of irrigation to reach highest yields (OLIVEIRA et al, 2011)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion