Citation
Relationship of temperature and date of planting to head formation of several varieties and stains of crisp-head lettuce

Material Information

Title:
Relationship of temperature and date of planting to head formation of several varieties and stains of crisp-head lettuce
Series Title:
Mimeographed Report
Creator:
Hoffman, James C ( James Charles )
Everglades Experiment Station
Place of Publication:
Belle Glade Fla
Publisher:
Everglades Experiment Station
Publication Date:
Language:
English
Physical Description:
2 leaves : ; 29 cm.

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Lettuce -- Varieties -- Florida ( lcsh )
City of Belle Glade ( flego )
Planting ( jstor )
Commercial production ( jstor )
Sulfates ( jstor )
Genre:
non-fiction ( marcgt )

Notes

General Note:
"April 1948."
General Note:
Cover title.
General Note:
"Horticulture."
Funding:
Mimeographed report (Everglades Experiment Station) ;
Statement of Responsibility:
James C. Hoffman.

Record Information

Source Institution:
University of Florida
Rights Management:
All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
Resource Identifier:
66272379 ( OCLC )

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Everglades Experiment Station

Belle Glade, Florida



*HW





Mimeographed Report No. 7

(Horticulture)


Relationship of Temperature and Date of Planting to Head Formation

of Several Varieties and Strains of Crisp-Head Lettuce


James C. Hoffman


April 1948










Rel,.atlonship of Temperature and Date of Planting to Head Formation
of Several Varieties and Strains of Crisp-Head Lettuce

19 8

James C. Hoffman


Some progress has been made in the production of crisp-head lettuce in the
Everglades area of Florida. The problems are many, but disease resistance and con-
trol are at present the limiting factors in the production of lettuce when grown in
southern Florida.

Varieties and strains of the crisp-head type that will head under adverse
climatic conditions is a second factor of great importance. A rapid rate of growth
is one of the determining factors in the formation of compact-hard heads and is
generally correlated with the available nutrients and water, with temperature being
Ian important factor.

Thirteen varieties and strains of lettuce were planted at 6 different dates as
listed in Table 2. Several strains of Great Lakes were included in the tests as
the variety is generally considered quite variable under different climatic condi-
tions, and even the many strains are not fixed types*

Each seed stock was planted in a randomized block layout with 5 replications.
Each replicate consists of 2 rows, 25 feet in length. The plots were located on
well mature sawgrass peat with a pH of 6.00.

The seed were planted on open type beds prepared about 6 inches in height.
Fertilizer was applied to the beds broadcast 10 days before planting at the rate
of 500 pounds of 0-8-24, 50 pounds manganese sulfate, 25 pounds copper sulfate; 25
pounds zinc sulfate and 10 pounds borax per acre. Spergon treated seed were covered
1/2 inch in depth with soil and the beds were protected with cloth until the seed*
Lings emerged.

All rows were spaced 24 inches apart and the lettuce transplanted on level
ground 12 inches apart in the row.

Fertilizer was applied to all plantings at the rate of 500 pounds of the same
analysis as used on the seedbeds. The fertilizer application was placed in 2 bands
3 inches on each side of the plant row and 2 inches in depth.

To control wireworms on the 5th and 6th plantings, 8 pounds of 40 percent
chlordane was applied per acre as a side dressing. The chlordane was mixed with
peat at the ratio of 1:19, This chlordane peat mixture was applied to the 5th
planting 1 month after the lettuce was transplanted. To the 6th planting the mix-
ture was added to the fertilizer and distributed at the time of transplanting.
This method of wireworm control appeared very adequate,









-2-


Observations and experimental data as presented in Tables 1, 2 and 3 indicate
that the critical average daily temperature is approximately 700 F. for the pro-
duction of a desirable crop of crisp-head lettuce. Sun-scald greatly reduced the
yields of the Great Lakes strains in the 5th and 6th plantings. It is evident from
the data in Table 4 that bolting of Great Lakes and Cornell 456 is not a serious
problem, Imperial 847 is definitely not adapted to southern Florida conditions.
rImerial h4 forms many loose puffy heads at the beginning and end of the season,
thlrofore, can only be recommended as a variety for mid-rinter maturity.

Great Lakes and Cornell 146 have unquestionably performed very well in these pre-
liminary tests. Great Lakes generally forms a larger head that is slightly harder
than Cornell 456. If uniformity is considered, Cornell 456 is more desirable with
a srmller number of outstanding ribs. After Great Lakes has been fixed for type,
which should be completed in 1948, this variety should greatly increase crisp-head
lettuce production in southern Florida and be the leading variety of the area,



Table 1. Average Monthly Temperature and Average Monthly Maximum Temperature
for the Lettuce Growing Season on Block 9 of the Evergladi-
Experiment Station, Belle Glade, Florida, 1947 19h8.

Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar.
1947 1947 1947 1948 1948 1948
Average temperature
(degrees F.) 70.6 67.7 65.5 64.0 68.5 72.7

Average maximum
temperature
(degrees F.) 80.0 78.0 75.7 74.8 83.0 86.9







TABLE 2. PERCENT LETTUCE HEADS HARVESTED FROM A VARIETY
BELLE GLADE. FLORIDA. 1948.


AND STRAIN, DATE OF PLANTING TEST, EVERGLADES EXPERIMENT STATION,


1st Planting 2nd Planting 3rd Planting 4th Planting 5th Planting 6th Planting
Date Seed Planted Sept.30,1947 Oct.15, 1947 Nov. 3, 1947 Nov.15, 1947 Dec. 4, 1947 Dec.16, 1947
Date Transplanted Nov. 6, 1947 Nov.21, 1947 Dec.22, 1947 Jan. 1, 1948 Jan. 9, 1948 Feb. 9, 1948
Date of First Harvest Tan. 5, 1948 Jan.22, 1948 Feb.26, 1948 Mar. 5, 1948 Mar.12, 1948 April 5,1948
No. Variety or Strain Stock No. Seed Source Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent Percent
1. Great Lakes Southern
Seed Co. 87.2 72.8 75.6 55.4 38.6 15.2
2. Cornell #456 4140 Ferry-Morse 83.6 52.0 59.6 50.0 54.0 -
3. Imperial #847 6173 Ferry-Morse 18.0 26.4 52.8 .0 -
4. Imperial #UA 5098 Ferry-Morse 72.4 52.8 72.8 62.6 58.6 -
5. Great Lakes 6412 Ferry-Morse 80.8 6.8 68.4 57.4 59.0 30.4
6. Great Lakes Corneli 80.4 78.4 61.6 66.6 38.6 28.4
7. Imperial #87 Corneli 23.2 18.0 72.8 46.0 -
8. Cornell #456 Corneli 75.6 74.4 80.4 56.6 60.0 20.8
9. Great Lakes 726 Abbott & Cobb 88.0 70.4 64.4 57.4 69.6 30.8
10. Great Lakes C261.4 Kilgore 81.2 82.4 71.6 56.0 58.0 16.8
11. Great Lakes C261.3 Kilgore 83.6 62.8 73.6 62.0 49.0 28.0
12. Imperial #44 C256.1 Kilgore 59.2 74.0 73.2 54.6 63.0 10.4
13. Cornell #456 C253.1 Kilgore 76.4 70.4 76.4 52.6 65.6 -

Least significant difference at 5% point 10.6 14.2 13.6 -13.4

Least significant difference at 1% point 14.2 19.0 18.0 18.2









TABLE 3. CRATES OF LETTUCE PER ACRE HARVESTED FROM A VARIETY AND STRAIN, DATE OF PLANTING TEST, EVERGLADES EXPERIMENT STATION,
BELLE GLADE, FLORIDA, 1948.
Number of 60 pound Crates per Acre
ist 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
No. Variety or Strain Stock No. Seed Source Planting Planting Planting Planting Planting Planting Grand Average
1. Great Lakes Southern
Seed Co. 585 538 435 314 140 68 347
2. Cornell #456 4140 Ferry-Morse 506 356 290 294 193 328
3. Imperial #847 6173 Ferry-Morse 87 157 266 279 197
4. Imperial #44 5098 Ferry-Morse 392 318 365 338 232 329
5. Great Lakes 6412 Ferry-Morse 567 612 390 409 294 157 405
6. Great Lakes Corneli 542 544 329 424 171 141 359
7. Imperial #847 Corneli 113 107 394 314 232
8. Cornell #456 Corneli 537 498 419 353 285 101 366
9. Great Lakes 726 Abbott & Cobb 503 457 329 301 290 132 335
10. Great Lakes C261.h Kilgore 528 588 391 387 267 84 374
11. Great Lakes C261.3 Kilgore 620 478 395 402 201 138 372
12. Imperial #44 C256.1 Kilgore 316 422 359 316 298 46 293
13. Cornell #456 C253.1 Kilgore 490 463 362 323 270 382
Least significant difference at 5% point 85 126 95 88 98 59
Least significant difference at 1% point 114 168 126 120 132 79










TABLE 4. PERCENT BOLTING LETTUCE PLANTS IN A VARIETY AND STRAIN, DATE
BELLE GLADE, FLORIDA, 1948.


OF PLANTING TEST, EVERGLADES EXPERIMENT STATION,


No. Variety or Strain


Stock No.


Seed Source


I 1st
Planting


lndn
Planting


0-- -t


3ra
Planting


4.-n
Planting


Planting


Planting


I '-.-


I


%


%0


7


1. Great Lakes

2. Cornell #456
3. Imperial #847
4. Imperial #44
5. Great Lakes

6. Great Lakes
7. Imperial #847
8. Cornell #456
9. Great Lakes
10. Great Lakes

11. Great Lakes
12. Imperial #44
13. Cornell #456


4140
6173
5098
6112




726
C261.4

C261.3
C256.1
C253.1


Southern
Seed Co.
Ferry-Morse
Ferry-Morse
Ferry-Morse
Ferry-Morse

Corneli
Corneli
Corneli
Abbott & Cobb
Kilgore

Kilgore
Kilgore
Kilgore


2.4
9.6
70.8
12.8
1.6


67.2

5.2
0.4

2.8
16.0
7.6


5.2
25.6
62.h
27.2
1.2

1.6
71.6
5.2
14.4
2.0

3.6
10.8
12.8


0.8
8.2
30.8
1.6
1.2

1.6
15.2

5.2
1.6


2.4
6.4


2.6
8.0
18.6
8,0
4.6

2.6
18.6
2.0
4.6
1.4

0.6
10.6
6.0


h.0
1.0

0.5
1.5

2.0

3.0
2.5
0.5

1.0
3.5
1.5


2.0
-


5.2

h.0

4.8
3.6
3.6

3.2
21.6


Least significant difference at 5% point 5.2 13.8 6.8 7.0 4.8

Least significant difference at 1% point 7.0 18.4 9.0 9.4 6.4


5, 9 ''


%


%