This trial was conducted in a Lakeland fine sand using a full-bed white-on-black polyethylene mulch and drip irrigation system of production. The final beds were 36 in. wide and 6 in. high. Four-week-old transplants were used to establish the plots on May 5, 1999. Each bed contained two rows 12 in. apart and plants were spaced 12 in. within each row.

    Samples were harvested from each plot on June 7, 1999. The same two people rated each sample on a 1-5 scale with 1= no bitterness and 5= very bitter (Table 1). A rating of 4 or 5 would determine the cultivar to be unmarketable due to bitterness alone. Ratings of 1 or 2 would determine those cultivars to be of excellent quality and marketability in relation to bitterness.

    In general, all butterhead cultivars (‘Ermosa’, ‘Carmona’, and ‘Red Rouge’) were all very mild in flavor with very little or no bitterness. The only lollo type cultivar, ‘Lollo Rosa’, was very bitter. Other types of lettuce (looseleaf, oakleaf, and romaine) were more variable depending on cultivar (See Table 1).