This study was undertaken with the objective of studying the growth of the cultivars of lettuce ' Elba' and ' Irene', submitted to soil saturation of different duration. The beginning of waterlogging occurred 17 days after transplanting (DAT) and it consisted of 7 duration times (0, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 hours), evaluating the effects at 22, 28 and 38 DAT, this last one at the occasion of harvest of the plants; combined with two cultivars, resulted in 14 (7 x 2) treatments. The experiment was installed in randomized blocks, with three repetitions, the experiment consisted of one recipient with four plants. The increase in waterlogging duration reduced the growth and the lettuce production. The fresh dry matter of the aerial part being the variable of higher sensitivity to the anoxitic stress; the cultivars were sensitive to abiotic stress, but they tended to recover part of the growth with time following stress. The cv. Elba was superior compared to 'Irene' in terms of number of leaves, diameter and stem height, dry matter of the aerial part and root; the 'Irene' distinguished itself in fresh biomass of the aerial part.
Lactuca sativa L.; oxygen deficiency; abiotic stress
