New romaine lettuce lines launched; Breeding lines prove dieback resistant, show improved shelf life
Thursday, February 17, 2011 - 01:31
in Biology & Nature
Dieback disease caused by soil-borne viruses affects romaine and leaf-type lettuce, often resulting in extensive crop loss. Researchers in California introduced two new romaine breeding lines that proved exemplary in terms of both disease resistance and shelf life. In replicated field trials the two breeding lines showed complete resistance to dieback. Testing of salad-cut lettuce in modified atmosphere packaging indicated slower decay in the two new lines compared with other dieback-resistant romaine varieties.