Lettuce

Inclusion in crop rotation and fertilization requirements

Track: II–III
Suitable preceding crops: potatoes, legumes, and forage mixtures; do not include in rotations after spinach and other *Lactuca* species.
Fertilization: farmyard manure applied to the preceding crop; 90–150 kg N·ha⁻¹, 80–130 kg P₂O₅·ha⁻¹, 150–240 kg K₂O·ha⁻¹, and 80–130 kg Mg·ha⁻¹

Varieties:
• According to cultivation season in field conditions:
o Early varieties for spring and autumn cultivation
o Summer varieties – neutral to day length
o Winter varieties – suitable for overwintering

Types of varieties:
o ‘Buttersalat’ – leaves forming its head are very tender, prone to wilting
o ‘Batavia’ – larger head, less prone to wilting – intermediate type between butterhead and iceberg lettuce
o ‘Frisby’ – intermediate type between butterhead and leaf lettuce
o ‘Krulsalat’ – intermediate type between butterhead and oakleaf lettuce

Agrotechnics of cultivation and harvest

Propagation: generative

Spacing:
• 0.3 m × 0.25–0.3 m
Harvest:
• On small areas by hand thinning
• On larger areas by hand using harvesting platforms

Agrotechnics of cultivation from seedlings – spring cultivation

Agrotechnics of cultivation from seedlings – summer cultivation

Agrotechnics of cultivation from seedlings – autumn cultivation

Agrotechnics of cultivation from seedlings – winter cultivation

Storage: 2 (3) weeks at a temperature of 0–1 °C and 98% relative humidity

Use: fresh and cooked in the form of juice, purée, sauces and others.

Diseases and pests:

• Physiological disorders: marginal necrosis of lettuce leaves due to calcium deficiency

• Viral diseases: lettuce mosaic virus (LMV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)

• Fungal diseases: grey mould (*Sclerotinia sclerotiorum*), downy mildew of lettuce (*Bremia lactucae*), lettuce sclerotinia rot (*Sclerotinia sclerotiorum*)

• Pests: aphids (*Aphidoidae*), slugs and snails, wireworms