Effects of artificial enclosure of young lettuce leaves on tipburn incidence and leaf calcium concentration

The young developing leaves of 20-day-old lettuce plants (Lactuca sativa L. 'Buttercrunch') were enclosed by aluminized polyethylene sheaths to decrease transpiration and reduce Ca transport. The plants were grown in recirculating solution culture system using a modified half-strength Hoagland's solution under cool-white fluorescent lamps with a photosynthetic photon flux of 350 micromoles s-1 m-2 in a 16:8-hr (light:dark) period. Air temperature and humidity were 20 degrees C and 65%, respectively. After 4 days of enclosure, 53% of the inner leavers (leaves one to 3 cm in length) were tipburned. After the same period, less than 1% of the inner leaves on control plants were tipburned. The concentration of Ca in enclosed inner leaves was 0.63 mg g-1 dry weight, compared to 1.48 mg g-1 dry weight in inner leaves that were not enclosed. The Ca concentration in transpiring outer leaves of all plants was 9.9 mg g-1 dry weight. The Mg concentration in enclosed inner leaves was 2.25 mg g-1 dry weight, compared to 2.34 mg g-1 dry weight in inner leaves that were not enclosed. This research documents that enclosures of leaves at the growing point, as would occur with normal head development, is sufficient to create a limiting concentration of Ca in the enclosed tissue and encourage tipburn development.