In brief
Harvest age, time of day, sample location, storage and preparation rules required to preserve a valid cultivation comparison.
Why this matters
A cultivation treatment can be overwhelmed by differences introduced during harvest, storage or sample preparation. Post-harvest conditions are therefore controlled as part of the experiment rather than treated as logistics.
Lettuce quality and shelf-life responses depend on nutrient treatment, season and post-harvest handling.
Required harvest record
| Field | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Developmental age | days after sowing and transplanting |
| Time of harvest | clock time and light-cycle position |
| Sample location | defined leaf, fruit or canopy position |
| Pre-analysis delay | minutes or hours |
| Storage | temperature, humidity, package and duration |
| Preparation | washing, cutting, mass and serving temperature |
Sensory samples
Samples receive blind random codes, balanced serving order and identical preparation. Test-room conditions and the selected discrimination, descriptive or hedonic method are documented.