Crescimento e produção de alface em diferentes malhas de sombreamento e campo aberto

Abstract

High temperature is a limiting factor for lettuce production, as it induces early tasseling, resulting in considerable losses for the farmer. Thus, the use of shading screens can be an alternative to produce lettuce in high temperature environments. Therefore, the present work aimed to evaluate the growth and production of curly lettuce cultivated in different shading nets and open field in the edaphoclimatic conditions of Uruçuí-PI. An experiment, carried out in the experimental area of the Fazenda Escola of the Federal Institute of Piauí - Campus Uruçuí, was organized in a randomized block design with four replications and four treatments consisting of different screens of shading meshes, namely: control - open field (CA), black mesh (MP), silver mesh (MPTA) and red mesh (MV). Each plot consisted of 1.0 m2 containing 16 plants, spaced 0.25 m x 0.25 m apart, considering the four central plants as a useful plot, discarding the borders. The following agronomic characteristics were evaluated: plant height, number of leaves, shoot dry mass, leaf temperature and productivity. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared using Tukey's test at 5% probability. The characteristics evaluated in lettuce differed significantly in the open field cultivation treatments and in the different shading nets. The red colored mesh provided better production in the lettuce crop, especially when compared to the open field. All shaded environments favored better development conditions when compared to the open field