{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T15:05:25Z","timestamp":1785423925772,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784505600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Federal Institute of Esp\u00edrito Santo"},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05rshs160","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100022075","name":"Federal University of Esp\u00edrito Santo","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100022075","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05sxf4h28","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Plants"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a widely consumed leafy vegetable cultivated globally, particularly under soilless systems to enable intensive and high-efficiency production. In these systems, precise nutrient solution management is essential, especially regarding calcium, an indispensable macronutrient involved in cell wall stabilization, membrane integrity, root development, and physiological responses to stress. This study evaluated the morphological and nutritional performance of crisp lettuce cultivars M\u00f4nica SF 31 and Veneranda grown using a nutrient film technique (NFT) system, using Calc\u00e1rio, Lithocal\u00ae, and LT Supra\u00ae as alternative calcium sources, alongside a control treatment. The experiment followed a randomized block design in a 4 \u00d7 2 factorial arrangement. Measured variables included root, leaf, and stem dry mass; stem length and diameter; and nutrient accumulation and gas exchange parameters. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared using Scott-knott test. Calcium supplementation significantly increased plant growth, with leaf fresh mass rising by 37% and root fresh mass by 56% compared to the control. Foliar calcium and magnesium concentrations were effectively enhanced by the treatments. Calc\u00e1rio, Lithocal\u00ae, and LT Supra\u00ae demonstrated effectiveness as calcium sources in soilless lettuce cultivation, promoting improved nutrient accumulation\u2014particularly calcium and magnesium\u2014and substantial gains in fresh biomass and root system development. Calcium supplementation is therefore recommended as a strategy to enhance productivity and crop quality in intensive soilless systems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/plants15142209","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T06:09:09Z","timestamp":1784527749000},"page":"2209","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Functional Effects of Calcium Sources in Soilless Lettuce Cultivation"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-2216-0045","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Talys Moratti Lemos de","family":"Oliveira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Federal Institute of Esp\u00edrito Santo, Barra de S\u00e3o Francisco Campus, Rodovia ES 320, Km. 118, Zona Rural, Barra de S\u00e3o Francisco 29800-000, ES, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0287-8282","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana J\u00falia C\u00e2mara","family":"Jeveaux Machado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Federal University of Esp\u00edrito Santo (UFES), Center for Natural Human Sciences (CCHN), Goiabeiras Campus, Vit\u00f3ria\/ES. Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Vit\u00f3ria 29075-910, ES, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1858-4967","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Janyne","family":"Soares Braga Pires","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Federal University of Esp\u00edrito Santo (UFES), Center for Natural Human Sciences (CCHN), Goiabeiras Campus, Vit\u00f3ria\/ES. Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Vit\u00f3ria 29075-910, ES, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jan da","family":"Vit\u00f3ria","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Federal University of Esp\u00edrito Santo (UFES), Center for Natural Human Sciences (CCHN), Goiabeiras Campus, Vit\u00f3ria\/ES. Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Vit\u00f3ria 29075-910, ES, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7474-1707","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tulio Silva","family":"Lara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Water Science and Technology, Federal University of Western Par\u00e1, Tapaj\u00f3s Campus, Rua Vera Paz, Bairro Sal\u00e9, Santar\u00e9m 68035-110, PA, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"L\u00facio de Oliveira","family":"Arantes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Capixaba Institute of Research, Technical Assistance and Rural Extension, Rodovia BR-101 Norte, Km. 151, Bebedouro, Linhares 29915-140, ES, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adriano","family":"Alves Fernandes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Federal University of Esp\u00edrito Santo (UFES), Center for Natural Human Sciences (CCHN), Goiabeiras Campus, Vit\u00f3ria\/ES. Av. Fernando Ferrari, 514, Vit\u00f3ria 29075-910, ES, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6202-4153","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sara","family":"Dousseau-Arantes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Capixaba Institute of Research, Technical Assistance and Rural Extension, Rodovia BR-101 Norte, Km. 151, Bebedouro, Linhares 29915-140, ES, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Guimar\u00e3es, C.M., Cunha, F.F., Silva, F.C.S., Ara\u00fajo, E.D., Guimar\u00e3es, A.B.F., Mantovani, E.C., and Silva, D.J.H. (2019). Agronomic performance of lettuce cultivars submitted to different irrigation depths. 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