Doses of gibberellic acid (0, 10, 20 and 40 ppm) in three lettuce bolting-resistant cultivars (Marisa, Verônica and Elisa) were tested with the aim to induce flowering and seed yield. The experimental design was a complete randomized block, with four replications in a 4 x 3 factorial scheme. The sowing was done on 27/05/98 and the transplanting on 24/06/98, with the plants at the stage of 4 - 5 leaves. The application was performed only once at the stage of 10-12 leaves, using the product Pro-Gibb (ABBOTT), with 10% of gibberellic acid. The lettuce crop was managed accordingly to the usual recommendation. Seeds were harvested based on the physiological maturity and the harvest ranged from 02/12 to 21/12. There were evaluated the number of days to anthesis, number and height of stem flowering, flowering percentage, seed yield, weight of 1,000 seeds and percentage of seed germination. Flowering earliness was different among cultivars being Elisa the most precocious, regardless of gibberellic acid application and followed by 'Verônica' and 'Marisa'. The effect of doses had statistical significance on cv. Verônica and Marisa, being the highest flovering percentage at the dose of 28 ppm for the cv. Verônica and 35 ppm for 'Marisa'. However, superior seed yield was observed at the dose of 23 ppm in both cultivars. On the other hand seed production from 'Elisa' was significantly superior than from the other two cultivars, being the highest seed production observed on the control, (without application of gibberellic acid). Gibberellic acid increased the flowering percentage, earliness of the anthesis, seed maturation and seed yield, but the response depended on the cultivar; the later or more resistant to bolting the more pronounced were the effects of the gibberellic acid being recommended a dose of 23 ppm.
Lactuca sativa L.; seed stalk; seed; growth substance
