Competitive Ability of Lettuce with Ryegrass1

ABSTRACT The objective of the study was to evaluate the competitive ability of summer crisp and butterhead lettuce types in coexistence with populations of ryegrass. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial 2 x 7 scheme, with four replications. On the A factor the lettuce types (summer crisp and butterhead) were allocated and, on B, the densities of ryegrass (0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 plants per pot). The number of leaves, chlorophyll content, leaf area, green mass and dry mass of the lettuce types and ryegrass were evaluated, and the diameter of the culture stem and the tiller number of the weed were determined. Differences in competitive ability between the lettuce types in competition with ryegrass were found, and butterhead was the most competitive when compared with summer crisp for all variables studied. There was an average loss of leaf area in lettuce types of up to 80% when it competed with ryegrass in the populations involved. Ryegrass is a very competitive weed to infect lettuce, and its handling is necessary, even at low densities to avoid productivity losses. The butterhead type of lettuce supports longer competition with ryegrass compared to summer crisp.