TURNOS DE REGA E DOSES DE HIDROGEL NO CULTIVO DA ALFACE CRESPA ROXA LUMINOSA

Abstract

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most widely produced leafy vegetables in Brazil, with great economic importance and high water demand due to its shallow root system. Management strategies such as adjusting irrigation intervals and applying hydro-retentive polymers have been investigated to improve water use efficiency and ensure sustainable production. This study aimed to evaluate the yield of purple crisp lettuce, cultivar Luminosa, under four irrigation intervals (1, 2, 3, and 4 days) and four hydrogel doses (0, 25, 50, and 75 g), in a randomized block design with a 4×4 factorial scheme, carried out under open-field conditions at IF Goiano – Campus Urutaí. Plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, and fresh shoot mass were evaluated. The data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SISVAR, with simultaneous verification of residual normality and homogeneity, and means were compared by Tukey’s test at the 5% probability level. The results showed no significant effects of irrigation intervals, hydrogel doses, or their interaction on any of the evaluated variables. The lack of statistical differences may be related to the edaphoclimatic conditions during the experimental period, which reduced the distinction among treatments. It is concluded that, under the conditions of this study, changes in irrigation intervals and hydrogel application did not improve lettuce yield. Keywords: Hydrogel; Irrigation; Lactuca sativa L.; Lettuce; Water management.