University of Florida Scientists Developing Disease-Resistant Lettuce
German Sandoya (left) examining seed samples in a lab at the UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center. | UF/IFAS Tyler Jones
Backed by a $500,000 federal grant, a team of University of Florida scientists is working to develop disease-resistant lettuce varieties built to withstand shifting weather and growing challenges.
German Sandoya, Associate Professor of Horticultural Sciences at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), is leading the effort with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA).
The research targets bacterial leaf spot, a disease that can significantly reduce yield and quality. Scientists are also responding to rising temperatures that threaten lettuce, a crop adapted to cooler conditions.
“This type of research takes time,” said Sandoya, in an article for the University of Florida’s website. Sandoya is based at the UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade. “From the earliest breeding stages to releasing a cultivar, you are looking at seven to eight years. But we are now at the point where we have multiple promising lines and are narrowing them down.”
The Importance of Lettuce in Florida
Florida is the nation’s third-largest lettuce-growing state, with most of this crop produced during the winter. Farmers begin planting in early fall and continue through early spring. Harvest season starts in late fall and can run through April or even May.
But as a food staple in homes, vegetable gardens, restaurants, and grocery stores across the country, lettuce is increasingly threatened by rising temperatures, especially in subtropical states like Florida. At the same time, growers continue to battle bacterial leaf spot, a disease that can severely damage crops.
To build resistance, Sandoya and his team turned to a rare lettuce plant originally collected in Macedonia that naturally resists bacterial leaf spot. While not suitable for commercial production on its own, the plant has served as a valuable genetic source.
Additional Benefits of Lettuce Trials
Beyond disease resistance, the team is evaluating traits that matter to growers, retailers, and consumers, including appearance, texture, and postharvest performance. Maintaining freshness during storage and transport is a key priority, especially for lettuce shipped over long distances.
“We have developed a wide range of lettuce types, including romaine, iceberg, and leaf lettuce,” Sandoya said. “The goal is to provide growers with options that perform well in different production systems and meet market demands.”
Early findings suggest the breeding lines may offer an added benefit. Researchers believe the same genetic resistance could help protect against Cercospora leaf spot, another disease that becomes more common in warm conditions and currently lacks effective control options, especially in greenhouse production.
For additional information on the team’s work and upcoming disease-resistant trials, please read the full article.