Abstract
ABSTRACT Lettuce seedlings used on hydroponic cultivation (NFT) are usually produced in trays with small volume, requiring two transplants: from tray to nursery and then to the definitive place. The aim of this study was to verify lettuce performance under NFT system, using seedlings produced in trays with several cell volumes (50, 40, 35, 31, 30, 29, 27, 20 and 10 cm³ cell-1). The tray volumes are considered treatments. The experimental design was completely randomized blocks, with four replicates. Seedlings were transplanted directly to the definitive profile, except those ones produced in 10 cm³ cell-1. Two harvests were performed, at 22 and 29 days after transplant (DAT). We evaluated number of senescent leaves, total number of leaves, shoot fresh mass, root fresh mass, shoot dry mass, stem length and productivity. The best performance was obtained using seedlings produced in trays with higher volume per cell. The nursery phase was not necessary and it was possible to obtain reduction from two to one transplant, corresponding to trays of 20 to 50 cm³ cell-1. Seedlings produced in trays with 40 and 50 cm³ cell-1 made the early harvest possible, at 22 DAT of cultivation under hydroponic NFT system.
Highlights
Tem-se produzido mudas de alface em bandejas cujas células são de pequeno volume para posterior utilização na produção hidropônica
In Brazil, lettuce cultivation under NFT system commonly uses seedlings produced in trays of 200 cells (10 to 12 cm3 cell-1), containing less volume of substrate in its cell and consequent lower seedling development (Menezes Junior et al, 2000)
Seedlings of this kind of tray normally need two transplants under hydroponic system, from tray to intermediate phase, in which they will spend about 7 to 12 days on benches consisting of smaller profiles
Summary
Tem-se produzido mudas de alface em bandejas cujas células são de pequeno volume para posterior utilização na produção hidropônica. O melhor desempenho foi das mudas produzidas em bandejas com maior volume por célula. In Brazil, lettuce cultivation under NFT system commonly uses seedlings produced in trays of 200 cells (10 to 12 cm cell-1), containing less volume of substrate in its cell and consequent lower seedling development (Menezes Junior et al, 2000). Seedlings of this kind of tray normally need two transplants under hydroponic system, from tray to intermediate phase, in which they will spend about 7 to 12 days on benches consisting of smaller profiles. The definitive phase is characterized by profiles of bigger size, which will not remain adequately at the transplant site
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