THE EFFECT OF FLAT PLASTIC-FILM COVERING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF LETTUCE

The joint trial and observation programmes carried out simultaneously at the Experimental Station for Vegetable Crops of St.Katelijne-Waver, (Belgium) and the Institute for Vegetable growing in Geisenheim (Germany) allowed a better – and certainly more objective – interpretation of results.

It has been possible to determine with greater precision the relationship between meteorological or microclimatic conditions and the behaviour of specific plants in two ecologically different places.

The trials concerned lettuce which, after being planted out, was given a direct cover of polythene film of 8,15,21 or 23 days.
In the more continental climate of Geisenheim, there was more sunshine, and the weather was drier than at St.Katelijne-Waver.

These different climates account for the fact that the averages both of fresh and dry weight was lower at Geisenheim than at St.Katelijne-Waver.
The size of leaves was also smaller at Geisenheim whereas the number of leaves was larger there than at St.Katelijne-Waver.

Symposium on Cultivation of Vegetables under Protection in the Mediterranean Regions

F. Benoit, H.D. Hartmann

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1974.42.20