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Most lettuce (Lactuca sativa L) seed fails to germinate at high temperatures. This phenomenon thermodormancy, is common in desert regions where 87% of all lettuce is grown in the U.S.A. A study was conducted using a non-thermodormant plant introduction, PI 251245, and two highly thermodormant Dutch butterhead cultivars, 'Dabora' and 'Severa'. Reciprocal crosses were made and germination trials conducted to observe how maternal and paternal influence and seed color contribute to thermodormancy. At 25 °C, germination was 100% for the three parents and the reciprocal F1 hybrids. Germination differences occurred at both 30° and 35 °C among the parents, with P1251245 with 100% germination and Dabora and Severa with less than 10% germination at both temperatures. Segregating F3 and F4 populations from Dabora x PI 251245 were investigated further. Genetic variation found between families suggests that breeding lettuce for improved thermotolerance may be possible. Seed color did not influence thermodormancy.

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Two field studies were conducted during the 1993-1994 season to evaluate the response of lettuce to soil applied amendments. Treatments included gypsum, polymaleic acid (Spersal), and two acid products (N-phuric and Phos-phuric). Gypsum rates (0, 2240, and 4480 kg /ha) were the main plots and other soil amendments were subplot randomized within the mainplots. Overall, gypsum reduced early growth and vigor of lettuce. Gypsum had no effects on marketable yield and quality parameters in experiment 1, but the highest gypsum rate (4448 kg /ha) decreased marketable yield in experiment 2. There were no differences in plant stands due to subplot treatments. However, there were differences in earlygrowth and vigor. In experiment 1, both "N-phuric" and "Phos-phuric" increased early lettuce growth compared to the control. In experiment 2, Phos-phuric was superior to N-phuric. In experiment 1, the benefits of early growth and vigor to the "N-phuric" and "Phos-phuric" carried to harvest where marketable yield and quality were significantly increased. Spersal did not significantly effect yield and quality of lettuce in either experiment.