Productivity of Lettuce Varieties in Conveyor Cultivation in the Open and Protected Soil of the Southeast of Kazakhstan

Abstract

In the framework of diversification of vegetable production in Kazakhstan, special attention is paid to minor vegetable crops. Conveyor cultivation of green vegetables plays an important role in providing fresh vegetables to consumers year-round. In this regard, two types of lettuce have been studied: Leaf lettuce and heading lettuce. The studies were performed in 2014-2016 at the Kazakh Research Institute of Potato and Vegetables Growing and at the Kazakh National Agrarian University. It has been established that the conveyor cultivation of leaf and heading lettuce with the use of protected and open soil is an efficient method of uninterrupted supply of local green products to the population in the off-season period. In protected soil, lettuce should be cultivated in four periods with the use of rootstock, by sowing seeds from the first third of January until the second third of February. The age of rootstock is 23 to 26 days for leaf lettuce and 28-32 days for heading lettuce. For obtaining early lettuce in the open ground, it should be sown in four periods, starting from the first third of April until second third of May. During the first period, rootstock is to be used (18 days old) and in the other three periods, the method without rootstock is to be used. Varieties of Odessian Kucheryavets lettuce (leaf lettuce) and Krupnokochanny (heading lettuce) are recommended for vegetable farms.