Abstract

The role of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) as a precursor of chlorophyll and heme is well documented. Low concentration of exogenous ALA has been found to regulate plant growth and increase crop yield, but there is little information on how ALA influences the yield and quality of lettuce in sunlit greenhouse. Here, we report the effects of ALA on photosynthetic rate, yield and quality of lettuce in sunlit greenhouse.5-aminolevulinic acid and 5-aminolevulinic acid with nitrogen fertilizer (ALA+N) were applied by foliage and soil. The results showed that application of ALA improved the photosynthetic rate of lettuce leaves by 23.9 to 34.7% and by 35.3 to 41.6%. Moreover, exogenous ALA increased vitamin C and soluble sugar content, reduced nitrate and crude fiber content and lead to better quality and taste of lettuce.

Key words: 5-aminolevulinic acid, lettuce, plant growth, promotive effects, yield, vegetable quality.