African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6918

Full Length Research Paper

Wind in the production of lettuce in Brazil (Lactuca sativa L.)

Lucas Tondo Wellington
  • Lucas Tondo Wellington
  • Ione Ronilde Bueno Tondo/Josemar Gilberto Tondo, Brazil.
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Flávio Gurgacz
  • Flávio Gurgacz
  • Ione Ronilde Bueno Tondo/Josemar Gilberto Tondo, Brazil.
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Reginaldo Ferreira Santos
  • Reginaldo Ferreira Santos
  • Ione Ronilde Bueno Tondo/Josemar Gilberto Tondo, Brazil.
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Eduardo De Rossi
  • Eduardo De Rossi
  • Ione Ronilde Bueno Tondo/Josemar Gilberto Tondo, Brazil.
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Marinez Carpiski Sampaio
  • Marinez Carpiski Sampaio
  • Ione Ronilde Bueno Tondo/Josemar Gilberto Tondo, Brazil.
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Cassio Duminelli
  • Cassio Duminelli
  • Ione Ronilde Bueno Tondo/Josemar Gilberto Tondo, Brazil.
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  •  Received: 11 August 2015
  •  Accepted: 06 October 2015
  •  Published: 12 November 2015

Abstract

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a vegetable of higher consumption and economic value in Brazil. Due of the sensitivity of the leaves, the wind can bring losses to the perfect harmony of growth and physiological development the plant. Wind can also cause irreversible mechanical damage, such as senescence, burning, breaking, fall leaves and tear. The city of Cascavel in western Paraná is at an average altitude of 760 m enabling the continuous occurrence of strong winds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of this meteorological variable in the production of lettuce and water evapotranspiration phenomenon with plants. Wind were made ducts with fans who had average wind speeds of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 km/h, positioned at 2 m of plants in greenhouses. The evapotranspiration was verified by a evaporimeter installed in each wind duct for three sunny days, rainy and cloudy. After 49 days, they were taken and analyzed the height of plants and roots, number of leaves, fresh and dry mass of leaves and roots. It was found that the increase in wind speed also increases the evaporation, however, other environmental factors influence this parameter and the production decreases, as we increase the wind speed.

Key words: Greenhouse, evapotranspiration, Lactuca sativa L., wind.