Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Yield and quality of leafy lettuce in response to nutrient solution composition and growing season

Author(s):

Carlo Fallovo ¹, Youssef Rouphael ², Mariateresa Cardarelli ¹, Elvira Rea ³, Alberto Battistelli ⁴, Giuseppe Colla ^1*

Recieved Date: 2009-01-09, Accepted Date: 2009-04-12

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of macro-anion (NO₃^-, H₂PO₄^-, and SO₄^2-) and macro-cation (K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺) proportions in the nutrient solution during two consecutive growing seasons (spring and summer) on yield and leaf quality (chlorophyll content, color parameters, carbohydrates and mineral composition) of Lactuca sativa L. var. acephala grown in a floating system. Marketable yield, shoot biomass and leaf area index were unaffected by nutrient solution composition. A high proportion of calcium in the nutrient solution increased the quality attributes in particular calcium, chlorophyll, glucose and fructose concentrations. Plants grown in the spring season exhibited a lower yield, growth (total dry biomass and leaf area index), leaf mineral content (N, K and Mg), total carotenoids and water use efficiency than those grown in the summer season but were influenced positively by some quality parameters (higher content of glucose and fructose and lower nitrate content). The results demonstrated, that the effect of growing season on leafy lettuce performance (yield and quality) was more pronounced than the effect of nutrient solution composition.

Keywords:

Growing season, floating system, leafy lettuce, nutrient solution composition, nutritional quality

---

Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2009
Volume: 7
Issue: 2
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 456-462

---

Full text for Subscribers

---

Information:

Note to users

The requested document is freely available only to subscribers/registered users with an online subscription to the Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment. If you have set up a personal subscription to this title please enter your user name and password. All abstracts are available for free.

Article purchasing

If you like to purchase this specific document such as article, review or this journal issue, contact us. Specify the title of the article or review, issue, number, volume and date of the publication. Software and compilation, Science & Technology, all rights reserved. Your use of this website details or service is governed by terms of use. Authors are invited to check from time to time news or information.

---

Purchase this Article:   20 Purchase PDF Order Reprints for 15

---

Share this article :