LATTUGA

(Lactuca sativa L.)

Luigi Notaro
Università di Napoli Federico II
 LATTUGA
(Lactuca sativa L.)
It belongs to the families of the Asteraceae or
Compositae
Originating from the Middle-East (3000 b.C.)
Cultivated by Greeks and Romans (before of the
300 a.C.)

There are several phenotypes in the lettuce,

mainly based on shape, margin type, thickness,
size and color of the leaf, and depending on the
ability to form clusters of different consistency.
 The varieties
of Lattuce
Iceberg

– Lactuca sativa L. var. capitata L. =

Includes smooth leafy lettuce
(Trocadero, Batavia) and curly leaf
(Brasiliana or Iceberg)
– Lactuca sativa L. var. crispa L. = Includes
Trocadero Riccia
cutting lettuces that do not form a real
clump ("acefale") characterized by a
rosette of leaves such as Lollo green or
red Lollo, Foglia di Quercia, Lattughina,
Gentilina etc.
– Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia L. =
Includes Roman Lettuce, Mini-Roman,
Romanella, Little Gem.
Romana Lattughina
 Brasiliana Romana
Trocadero

Foglia di quercia Batavia Lollo

 SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAIN TYPES OF LETTUCE

TIPOLOGY DESCRIPTION
CAPPUCCIO Grumus voluminous closed or semi-open in relation to the
cultivar, with wide, smooth or slightly bulky leaves (light green
Or dark green). The cultivars are suitable for specific cultivation
cycles and growing environments : outdoor or protected crops.
ICEBERG Spherical voluminous grumus, very compact with crunchy leaves
on the fringed edge. Cultivar suitable for all seasons. Production
Demanded for foreign markets.
BATAVIA It is taking some interest in the IV gamma products as it appreciates
the color. Medium large grumus sometimes not very tight
.
ROMANA Voluminous grumus, smooth or bulging leaves closing in the upper
. or semi-open manner
part in a tightly
GENTILINA Voluminous grumus always half open; very rich leaves of different
color (from green to red)
Lattuce: From germination (top sx) to commercial maturation (bottom dx).
 Surface

Dati F.A.O.
 Productions

Dati F.A.O.
 Botanical characters
Annual herb plant in cultivation (biennial)
Short taproot (0.3-0.4 m until to 0.8), surface root system
In the commercial grumus the cauliculi are fleshy and very short (2-6 cm);
on which numerous leaves of varying size, shape and color are inserted
Leaves initially in rosette can then become embroidered and form a grumus
more or less tightly. In the lettuces that do not form grumus the new
leaves are erected.
At the end of the winter the plant passes from the vegetative to the
reproductive phase, the stem starts elongating and branching (also 15 long
branching 0.7-1.5 m)
Inflorescence = flower heads (yellow flowers)
Autogamous fertilization (cross-fertilization = 1-6%)
Weight 1000 seeds = 0.7-1.5 g (700-1400 seeds per g)
Seed production = 0.4-0.8 t / ha
Lettuce in bloom (sx)
Lettuce seed (top)
 Climatic requirements
•Low thermal needs
•Winter culture with Tmin> 4 ° C; Frost damage to T <-2 ° C
•Germination: Tmin=4-6°C Topt=15-20°C Tmax=25°C (T>25°C
germination difficulty)
•In some cultivar the dormancy of the seeds (the germination
actived by light phitocrome)
•Growth and formation of the head: Tnight=4-12°C; Tday=15-25°C
•High temperatures stimulate the flower stem release especially
in long day conditions (pre-blossoming)
•Low temperatures slow growth.
•In the greenhouse during the autumn cultivar season suitable for
short day conditions.
•Plant to T=8-12°C; Tnight=4-6°C; Tday=12-16°C;T> 20°C 
ventilation
Environment and cultivation techniques

Outdoor cultivation Cultivation in greenhouse

 Soil requirements
•Lettuce is characterized by a short crop cycle (crop cycle duration =
60-150 days) and poor and shallow root system (which makes it
susceptible to water deficiency)

•It adapts well to all types of soil, from sandy to clayey, although it
prefers deep, medium dough, fresh with good drainage and rich in
organic matter

•The optimal pH is between pH 6.3 and 7.3

•Very sensible to salinity, excess of Cl- in water, boron and

molybdenum deficiencies

•Thanks to the wide variety of varieties it is possible to grow it all

year round
 Implant
• Renewal or catch crop (short cycle)
• In the greenhouse 2-3 continuous cycles and
rotations
• Preparation of the soil (processing to ensure good
drainage), milling and leveling.
• Autumn-winter crops in raised altitudes (10-15 cm) to
avoid water stagnations
• In the summer season pre-planting irrigation to
facilitate the taking roots.
 Implant
• Spring production: plants begin at the end of winter
• Summer production: plants begin in late spring
– Direct sow or transplant (seedlings in the 2-4 true
leaf stage)
– Direct seed: 1-1.5 kg of seed per ha
– Sowing in nursery: 0.3 kg of seed per hectare
• Cutting lettuce: 5-6 kg seed per ha
• Single row: 30-35 cm between the files; 25-30 cm
along the line. Density 8-12 plants/m2
• Greater density (16-18 plants/m2)  yield  weight of
the bushes parasitic problems
Seedling in
the nursery
Monitoring of the weeds:
Weeding
Mulch
Chemical weed control
Fertilization
 Fertilization
• Real calcium deficiency (acidic soils) or induced by water / salt
stress causes tip-burn (leaf margin necrosis)
• Greenhouse requirements increase by 15-30% (long cycle and
higher production)
• Greater absorption in the second half of the crop cycle (leaf
closure or hooding)
• Fertilizer doses may increase in winter crops due to the reduced
development of the root system and the longest crop cycle.
• The use of N-K binaries (eg potassium nitrate) promotes balanced
development
• BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTION: fertilizer based on the use of
manure, potassium sulphate and phosphorous (given every 3 years
at rotation in relation to long release time)
 Irrigation
• Shallow root system and sensitive to moisture
deficiency
• High humidity conditions (near CC) and steady
• Salinity < 2.0-2.2 dS/m
• In the field: low-intensity rainwater irrigation
• Greenhouse micro-pouring systems (drops) and
fertigation
• Flow volumes depending on the intensity of
evapotranspiration of the culture and growing until the
surface of the soil is completely covered with leaves;
Then limited interventions (after the 1st harvest) and
light.
• Water consumption 2000-3000 m3/ha
 Harvesting
• The duration of the crop cycle depends on the cultivar and
planting time:
– After 40 days of transplantation in summer cultures
– After 50-60 days of transplantation in spring and autumn cultures
– After 60-90 days of transplantation in winter crops
• Scalar gathering when the bushes have formed a compact, well-
shaped head, the plants are cut to the collar
• Free from basal leaves in cartons from 12-18-24-30-40
depending on the size
• It is completed in the 70 to 90% transplanted crops with the 1st
harvest with 2 interventions (80-100 hours / ha) while in the
uneven seed crops direct also 4 interventions
• Possibility of mechanical harvesting (cutting lettuces)
Collection arrangements

Manual harvesting
Collection arrangements
Collection arrangements

Mechanical
harvesting
 Storage
• The lettuces in greenhouse have greater uniformity and
better quality
• Size from 300 to 800 g depending on the cultivar; 300-
500 g most required for marketing
• Commercial quality depends on the room temperature and
the UR (post-harvesting):
– T=20°C 1 day; T=16°C 2 days; T=8°C 4 days;
T=2°C 8 days; T=0°C 12 days
• Chilling in the cold storage or low pressure chambers
(Vacuum cooling in 15-30 min T heads = 1-2°C)
• Refrigerator truck (cold chain)
• Conservation x 10-15 days T = 0 ° C and UR = 90-95%
protection with plastic films to prevent water leakage
 Main stages of the working process

Chilling

Trimming and Selection

Pre-washing
IV Gamma Cutting
products
Peeling

Washing

Drying

Weighing

Packaging

Distribution
Storage room
Table of sorting
Moped washing machine
Cascading washing machine
Automatic centrifuge in series
Drying tunnel
Beltweigher
Packaging