Response of Desert Lettuce to N Rate and N Management Practice

• Main Author: Sanchez, Charles A.
• Other Authors: Oebker, Norman F.
• Language: en_US
• Published: College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ) 1997
• Subjects: Agriculture > Arizona; Vegetables > Arizona; Lettuce > Arizona
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10150/221597

Lettuce produced in the desert typically shows large yield responses to N fertilization. However, concern about the potential threat of nitrate-N to ground water has prompted additional studies aimed at developing improved N management practices. Field experiments were conducted between 1992 and 1994 to evaluate the response of iceberg lettuce to N rate and N management practice. The use of controlled release N sources (CR19 were compared to a soluble N fertilizer applied preplant (PP), and a soluble N fertilizer applied in split-sidedress applications (SD). Rates of N fertilizer application ranged from 0 to 300 kg ha⁻¹. Lettuce generally showed significant responses to N rate and N management practice. However, response to management practice varied by site-season. When conditions for N losses were high, SD and CRN management strategies were superior. However, in other site seasons SD management sometimes resulted in inferior head quality and marketable yield when compared other management strategies. Data averaged over six -site seasons shows improved yield and quality to CRN management strategies compared to PP and SD strategies. Although the controlled-release fertilizers used in these experiments cost three times more the conventional soluble sources used, preliminary analysis shows the use of CRN strategies would sometimes be economically favorable.