Genotype-Dependent Tipburn Severity during Lettuce Hydroponic Culture Is Associated with Altered Nutrient Leaf Content

Cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most important leafy vegetables in world, and production concentrated Mediterranean Basin. Hydroponics has been successfully utilized for cultivation, which could contribute to diversification methods reduction water consumption excessive fertilization. We devised a low-cost procedure closed hydroponic cultivation easy phenotyping root shoot attributes lettuce. studied 12 genotypes crisphead oak-leaf subtypes, differed on their tipburn resistance, three growing seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring). found interesting genotype × environment (G E) interactions some traits during early growth. By analyzing incidence leaf nutrient content, we were able identify number that highly correlated with cultivar- genotype-dependent tipburn. Our experimental setup will allow evaluating different defined solutions select tipburn-tolerant productive are suitable hydroponics.