A field trial of lettuces has found that older, more traditional varieties outperform their modern-day counterparts, standing up better to bad weather and showing stronger resistance to downy mildew.

Eleven of the 12 best-performing varieties of lettuce at the Garden Organic trial were 'heritage' types - traditional, unimproved forms, many of which have fallen out of wider circulation as modern hybrids have come to dominate the market. Many of the older lettuce varieties trialled were taken from Garden Organic's Heritage Seed Library, which conserves the seed of old vegetable varieties to prevent them being lost altogether.

A Cos variety dating back to the 1930s called 'George Richardson' was only outperformed by one commercial variety, 'Kitare'. Other older lettuce varieties which outdid modern hybrids included Victorian-bred winter lettuce 'Rouge d'Hiver' and 'Bronze Arrow', a loose-leaf variety from California dating back to the 1940s.

“It wasn't what I expected,” said Phil Sumption, who led the research. “When you grow commercially you tend to always go for the latest new varieties.”

Garden Organic is now discussing further trials with seed companies and growers with the eventual aim of bringing some of the older varieties back into commercial production.

Heya , really not that surprising , i dont no how the test were conducted but i would wager they were grow in controlled organic fertile soil , i would like to see a test with them stacked up in the dead soil conditions in the field , chicken - egg / soil - seed .
Do you have a further source for theat than the Rhs namkha ?
We are growing some traditional varieties of dianthus the crosses do not compare in vigor or smell .

great

For more information on Garden Organic's research please visit www.gardenorganic.org.uk. For more on the Leafy Veg project visit http://documents.plant.wur.nl/cgn/pgr/leafyveg/default.htm

What seed companies list and sell the oldies? Because i don`t know enough about seed other than sticking them in soil apart from the odd name,Gardener`s Delight and Bunyards Exibition! Wether they are old i don`t know.

heirloom vigour is where it's at

cf. the Lebanese yield thread

imagine a hybrid made of pure heirlooms like that