THE EFFECTS OF APPLYING NATURAL PLANT ANTIFREEZE UNDER LOW TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS ON LETTUCE (LACTUCA SATIVA L.) YIELD AND QUALITY

• Published in: Applied Ecology and Environmental Research
• Main Authors: Pirinc, V, Alas, E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Aloki Applied Ecological Research and Forensic Inst Ltd 2021
• Subjects: Lactuca Sativa; Temperature Stress; Low Tunnel; Growing Systems; Mulch; Arctic
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/11468/18605; https://doi.org/10.15666/aeer/1904_29632970

Arctic fishes contain a type of antifreeze compound a protein that protects them from cold damage. Natural plant antifreezes have been recently developed to offer the same protection to plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of applying this new antifreeze to lettuce grown under different growing systems. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was grown under four different growing systems; open-field, mulch, low-tunnel, low-tunnel + mulch systems and open-field control (antifreeze not applied). The plant properties, such as height, head circumference, number of leaves, root length, root collar diameter, mean plant weight, and yield were examined. The measurements and statistical analyses revealed significant differences. Our results suggested that applying antifreeze to the plants during autumn under different growing conditions improved lettuce yield and number of leaves per plant in addition to other plant properties. Heavy metal and nitrogen/protein analyses after harvest revealed that the elements contained in the plant antifreeze increased the amounts of nitrogen/protein and other beneficial minerals such as magnesium, iron, and zinc in the plants. These results also suggested that natural plant antifreeze applied under greenhouse growing systems can be beneficial to lettuce cultivation under low temperature conditions. Thus, it is possible to grow lettuce, which is known to have a short vegetation period, in autumn under low temperature conditions in most of the regions of Turkey and or other countries.