Introduction

         Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is the most popular salad vegetable. Its high fiber but low nutrient value makes it an ideal vegetable for those who watch their diet.

        There are many types of lettuce. The most popular locally is the crisphead type, which includes grand rapid type varieties. Oakleaf and Lollo Rossa. Other types are Romaine/Cos and the Butterhead/Bostoan and Bibb lettuce.

Production Management

Varieties

Type                                  Variety                  Leaf    Color                  Maturity

 Iceberg                              Great Lakes 54             green                         45-50
                                          Great Lakes 659           green                         45-50
                                          West Lake green                                           45-50
Romaine/                             Lital                             dark                          50-60
Cos                                                                        green
                                           Noga                           green                         50-60
                                           Parris Island                 green                        50-60
Loose-leaf                            Samantha                    red                            45-60
                                           New Red Fire               red                            45-60

Climatic Requirements

         Lettuce is a semi-temperate vegetable requiring cool temperatures of 15-200C. The iceberg varieties will not form heads in hotter areas. It can also be planted in low elevations during November to December. The quality is best in high elevations (1000 m asl).

Seedling Production

About 150-200 g of seeds is required per hectare. The best method of seedling production is by line sowing in seed boxes or nursery beds with a soil mixture of 2 parts garden soil, 2 parts manure and 1 part rice hull charcoal. Water before sowing. Make lines 7-10 cm apart. Sow 200-400 seeds/m. Cover with the same mixture and mulch with rice hull or fine rice straw. Water daily and prick to nursery trays with the same soil mix after germination. Maintain under partial shade and harden by exposure to full sunlight one week before transplanting. The seedlings are ready for transplanting 3-4 weeks from sowing.

Land Preparation

        Prepare the land thoroughly. Make beds 0.75-1.0 m wide. Incorporate generous amounts of animal manure at 10-20t/ha. Use rice hull to improve soil texture.

Transplanting

       Water the beds properly before transplanting. If the rice straw is available, mulch the beds and transplant at 30-40 cm x 30-40 cm, 2-3 rows/bed to intercrop onion, chives, or garlic in the beds with marigold.

Irrigation

        Water the plants regularly. Use furrow irrigation, if available. Mulching helps conserve soil moisture.

Fertilization

         Apply sufficient animal manure at transplanting. Use tea manure or legume tea once a week, or as needed. Prepare tea manure by soaking manure in plastic drum. After two days, the resulting mixture, tea manure, is used as fertilizer to boost plant growth. Legume tea is prepared by soaking leaves of ipil-ipil or madre de cacao in water. The mixture is ready after 6-10 days.

         At transplanting, use 10 g 14-14-14/hill as basal fertilizer and side-dress with 5-10 g urea (46-0-0)/plant at 2-3 weeks after transplanting

Pest and Disease Management

          Lettuce has few significant pests and diseases. In case of cabbage looper and aphids, use botanical pesticides or soap solution. Bacterial rot can be minimized by sanitation.

Harvesting and Post harvest

Harvest iceberg lettuce at 45-60 days from transplanting, when heads are firm. Harvest loose-leaf lettuce as needed, preferably before bolting.

         For large-scale planting, sort the heads in the field and pack immediately in perforated carton boxes. If available, vacuum cooling to 10C is best. Transport at 40C.

Cost and Return Analysis per Hectare

ITEMS AMOUNT (P)
I. VARIABLE COSTS                                      P 49,560
A. Labor (P150/MD) 
    Plowing                                             1,500
    Harrowing                                          1,000
    Bedding                                            1,500
   Manure application                              2,000
   Seedling production (15 MD)                2,250 
   Mulching w/ rice straw 
   (10 MD)                                             1,500
   Transplanting (10 MD)                         1,500
   Fertilization; basal (2 MD) &                   900
   side-dress (4 MD)   
   Irrigation (20 MD)                                3,000
   Spraying ( 10 MD)                              1,500
   Weeding (20 MD)                               3,000
   Harvesting (10 MD)                            1,500
   Miscellaneous (20 MD)                       3,000
                   Sub-total                         24,150
B. Materials
    Seeds (200 g//ha)                             1,000 
    Animal Manure (10 t)                       10,000
    Fertilizers 
      14-14-14 (5 bags)                           1,750
      46-0-0 ( 5 bags)                             1,900 
      0-0-60 (2 bags)                                760
   Pesticides                                         5,000
   Miscellaneous                                   5,000
                   Sub-total                         25,410 

II. FIXED COSTS                                18,063
   Land rental                                       5,000
   Depreciation
      5 pcs. Scythe (2 yrs)                          63
      5 pcs. Hoe ( 3 yrs)                            125
      3 pcs. Shovel (3 yrs)                           75
     2 knapsack sprayers (5 yrs)                800 
    Interest on Loans at 20% int. p.a.     12,000
   TOTAL COSTS                               67,623
   GROSS INCOME a            120,000-150,000
   NET INCOME                        52,377-82,377
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a With marketable yield of 12-15 t/ha at P10/kg