Project title Field Vegetables: An evaluation of …...Technology transfer 21 Appendices 22 1 2010 Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Grower summary Headline The introduction

Project title: Field Vegetables: An evaluation of

autumn/winter cauliflower, spring

cabbage cultivars and other winter

Brassica crops.

Project number: FV 202g

Project leader: Bill Herring, Duchy College

Report: Annual report, July 2016

Previous report: Annual report

Key staff: Bill Herring

Malcolm Millar

Ellis Luckhurst

Location of project: Trevarnon Farm, Gwithian, Cornwall.

Industry representative: Ellis Luckhurst

Date project commenced: 1st April 2014

Date project completed

(or expected completion date):

30TH June 2017

2010 Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board

DISCLAIMER

While the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board seeks to ensure that the

information contained within this document is accurate at the time of printing, no warranty is

given in respect thereof and, to the maximum extent permitted by law the Agriculture and

Horticulture Development Board accepts no liability for loss, damage or injury howsoever

caused (including that caused by negligence) or suffered directly or indirectly in relation to

information and opinions contained in or omitted from this document.

© Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2016. No part of this publication may be

reproduced in any material form (including by photocopy or storage in any medium by

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Horticulture Development Board, other than by reproduction in an unmodified form for the

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accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights

reserved.

All other trademarks, logos and brand names contained in this publication are the

trademarks of their respective holders. No rights are granted without the prior written

permission of the relevant owners.

The results and conclusions in this report are based on an investigation conducted over a

one-year period. The conditions under which the experiments were carried out and the

results have been reported in detail and with accuracy. However, because of the biological

nature of the work it must be borne in mind that different circumstances and conditions

could produce different results. Therefore, care must be taken with interpretation of the

results, especially if they are used as the basis for commercial product recommendations.


AUTHENTICATION

We declare that this work was done under our supervision according to the procedures

described herein and that the report represents a true and accurate record of the results

obtained.

[Name]

[Position]

[Organisation]

Signature ......Bill Herring...............................Date 26/07/2016............................................

Team Lead / Trials Coordinator Duchy College

[Name]

[Position]

[Organisation]

Signature ............................................................ Date ............................................

Report authorised by:

[Name]

[Position]

[Organisation]

Signature ............................................................ Date ............................................

[Name]

[Position]

[Organisation]

Signature ............................................................ Date ............................................


CONTENTS

Grower summary 1

Headline 1

Background 1

Results 1

Science Section 7

Introduction 8

Trial site details 15

Production details 15

Trial design 18

Trial records and data collected 18

Discussion 20

Conclusions 20

Technology transfer 21

Appendices 22

1


Grower summary

Headline

The introduction of new autumn and winter cauliflower cultivars has again increased

Grade 1 marketable product where initiation of curds was not impacted by the cool night

temperatures in August, which was very unusual at that time of the year. Some new

introductions being over 10% above standard cultivars, based on 25315 plants/hectare

(10249/acre) for the autumn cultivars and 21193 plants/hectare (8580/acre) for the

winter cultivars.

Potential income can be increased by £95/ha for every additional 1% Class 1 marketed.

This is a real possibility with many producers now on a fixed price for their produce.

Background

Duchy College working in partnership with eight national seed houses and local growers

have carried out the evaluation of commercially available autumn, winter cauliflower and

spring greens cultivars over the past 20 years.

Initially introduced into the Confidential/Screening trials and then within the commercially

available trials, each cultivar has been recorded and evaluated year on year. With the

improvement in plant breeding and new cultivars being introduced these need to be

assessed alongside current and established varieties in order to compare yields and quality

of produce.

With improved uniformity, disease resistance and curd protection the need to compare with

current cultivars is even more important in order to plan the production of the crop to meet

changing market requirements and provide the best returns to the grower.

Results

The following cultivars are of most interest to the industry. Some are new introductions to

compliment cultivars that have been grown as the standard cultivars for specific production

periods.

The cauliflower trials were transplanted on the 9th and 17th July 2015, similar to previous

seasons. Most commercial growers transplant from late June to early August.

Many of the late autumn cultivars performed well despite the weather conditions, as can be

seen in Table 1.

2


Results over several seasons will need to be considered when selecting cultivars for

production. Full information on all cultivars can be found in the Full Trial Report.

Comments on curd protection, leaf colour, disease resistance/susceptibility, uniformity,

curd colour and density, suitability for various markets, defects and ease of harvesting are

found in the Appendices.

The spring greens trial was planted into good conditions on the 9th September 2015 and

produced high quality greens, some being harvested in January and the later cultivars in

March 2016.

Autumn Cauliflower 2015 Top performing cultivars

A number of autumn cultivars also produced large curds. (6/tray).

Transplanted at 25315 plants/hectare (10249/acre) on 9th July 2015

Please refer to the Full Trial Report for further details.

Table 1. Autumn Cauliflower 2015 Top performing cultivars

Seed House Cultivar % Class 1 Trays/hectare (acre)

Class 1 (8/tray )

Heading period

10 – 90% dates

Clause Rafale 84 2438 (987) 06.10.15 - 14.10.15

Clause Naruto 91 1996 (808) 08.10.15 - 13.10.15

Sakata Jericho 83 2438 (987) 08.10.15 - 15.10.15

Sakata Amadine 88 2468 (999) 08.10.15 - 17.10.15

Rijk Zwaan 26 - 407 85 2532 (1025) 10.10.15 - 24.10.15

Clause Optimist 81 2374 (961) 13.10.15 - 27.10.15

Monsanto 5982 96 2300 (931) 26.10.15 - 02.11.15

3


Winter Cauliflower 2015 – 16 Top performing cultivars

Typically harvesting from early November to April. Most commercial cultivars grown

produce a minimum of 70% marketable crop with some cultivars producing 70% + Class 1

cauliflower at the beginning and end of this harvest period, in a typical season.

Yields will vary as there were two transplanting dates (9th and 17th July 2015). Plant

spacings were the same for each cultivar within the trials.

Some cultivars also produced larger curds that are included on the table below.

Transplanted at 21193 plants/hectare (8580/acre)

Please refer to the Full Trial Report for further details.

4


Table 2. Winter Cauliflower 2015 – 16 Top performing cultivars

Seed House Cultivar %

Class

1

Trays/hectare (acre)

Class 1

(8/tray ) (6/tray)

Heading period

10 – 90% dates

Enza Anique 92 847(343) 2124(860) 22.10.15 - 27.10.15

Enza Rafique 94 1731(701) 961(389) 26.10.15 - 02.11.15

Clause Galiote 83 1166(472) 1359(550) 29.10.15 - 05.11.15

Elsoms Telde 83 1600(648) 766(310) 29.10.15 - 14.11.15

Clause Diwan 88 1489(603) 1104(447) 02.11.15 - 07.11.15

Elsoms Belot 87 1855(751) 620(251) 05.11.15 - 17.11.15

Enza Agility 86 1260(510) 1561(632) 05.11.15 - 12.11.15

Clause Triomphant 88 2020(818) 398(161) 12.11.15 - 19.11.15

Elsoms Paciano 55 1442(584) 22.11.15 - 10.12.15

Clause CLX 33422 65 1712(693) 27.11.15 - 10.12.15

Monsanto Terminillo 54 1324(536) 133(54) 02.12.15 - 07.12.15

Clause Jubarte 62 1647(667) 02.12.15 - 13.12.15

A L Tozer FT 1018 51 1354(548) 15.12.15 - 26.12.15

Nickerson Trevaskis 60 1591(644) 19.12.15 - 29.12.15

Monsanto 5697 61 1608(651) 19.12.15 - 29.12.15

Clause Fleet 45 1183(479) 27.12.15 - 11.01.16

Monsanto Carantic 42 1089(441) 31.12.15 - 16.01.16

A L Tozer FT 2067 34 902(365) 02.01.16 - 27.01.16

Clause CLX 33518 57 1489(603) 17.03.16 - 03.04.16

A L Tozer FT 2072 59 1193(483) 487(197) 07.04.16 - 25.04.16

5


Late heading Winter Cauliflower 2014-15 Top performing cultivars

These plots were transplanted on the 9th July 2015 aiming to head in the period of April

through to late May 2016. Over recent seasons there has been a shortage of cauliflower for

this period which has resulted in the increase of imported produce to maintain supply to the

various market outlets. Although fixed price returns to the grower over this heading period

are not guaranteed there is scope to aim for this market share.

The cool nights in the previous autumn did not have an impact on the later heading

cauliflower in regards initiation of the curds and in the main cultivars were harvested within

their expected harvesting slots. However some cultivars suffered from the very wet autumn,

resulting in plants wilting, poor re-growth in the spring and subsequently poor marketable

yields.

Transplanted at 21193 plants/hectare (8580/acre)

Some cultivars also produced larger curds which are included in the table below.

Please refer to the ‘Full Trial Report’ for further details.

Table 3. Late heading Winter Cauliflower 2014-15 Top performing cultivars

Seed

House

Cultivar %

Class

1

Trays/hectare

(acre) Class 1

(8/tray ) (6/tray)

Heading period

10 – 90% dates

Elsoms Douglas 58 1536(622) 04.04.16 - 25.04.16

Elsoms Fletcher 73 1932(782) 02.05.16 - 23.05.16

Elsoms Cartagena 67 1544(625) 282(114) 12.05.16 - 28.05.16

A L Tozer FT 3007 75 1383(560) 785(318) 16.05.16 - 04.06.16

A L Tozer FT 3060 (Flugga) 77 1472(596) 736(298) 16.05.16 - 04.06.16

Vilmorin Alpionis 65 1351(547) 494(200) 16.05.16 - 06.06.16

A L Tozer FT 3069 (Godrevy) 51 830(366) 830(336) 29.05.16 - 06.06.16

A L Tozer FT 3042 (Dungeness) 53 1126(456) 363(147) 28.05.16 - 13.06.16

A L Tozer FT 3059 (Skerryvore) 62 978(396) 531(215) 02.06.16 - 08.06.16

Nickerson VT 3004 72 1457(590) 576(233) 02.06.16 - 09.06.16

The trials were undertaken at Trevarnon Farm, Gwithian, Cornwall. The soil type being a

sandy clay loam. The site is south facing and is part of a farm rotation based around

Brassicas, cereals and grass break crops.

6


The farm has traditionally grown Brassica crops supplying both the multiple and local

markets.

The trial itself is treated as a commercial crop undergoing similar field operations as the

commercially grown crops. The cultivars are harvested twice a week on a similar basis as

commercial crops on the farm.

Main conclusions

All of the cultivars that have performed well during 2015 – 16 are commercially available to

growers, each with their own characteristics, traits and qualities. The large number of

cultivars available enables growers to select suitable cultivars for their production systems,

which vary from farm to farm and area to area. The cultivars available ensure continuous

supply complimenting each other throughout the production period. However there is a

continuous need to improve output and quality especially in the production period between

late December and early February where yields can be lower. There have been a number of

new introductions over this period which have performed very well alongside established

cultivars.

Trials have also been undertaken where a number of confidential cultivars from a range of

seed companies have been assessed with some new named cultivars being introduced into

the commercially available cultivar trials for 2015 -16 and a number to follow in subsequent

years. There is renewed interest in the late heading cultivars for the heading period of April

and into mid-May.

Table 4. Spring Green cultivars 2015 – 16

Seed house Cultivar

Monsanto Winter Supreme

A L Tozer Winter Green

Hazera Winter Jewel

Nickerson Kempsy

Monsanto Winter Special

7


Table 5. Spring Green cultivars 2015 – 16 Results

Seed House

Cultivar

Comments and

observations on

19.01.2016

Transplanting

Date

Harvest

dates

Pack out yield

Trays/hectare (acre)

(10 bags x 550grams)

Monsanto

Winter Supreme

Very leafy.

Paler inner leaf.

Dark green outer leaves.

Very Uniform. Upright

frame.

Good greens.

Some tip burn (8%)

10.09.15

19.01.2016

10.03.2016

1541 (624)

1593 (645)

A. L. Tozer

Wintergreen

(Traditional open

pollinated variety)

Crinkled leaf type.

Variable size plants/greens.

Dark green leaf.

Leggy.

10.09.15

19.01.2016

10.03.2016

1234 (502)

1383 (560)

Hazera

Winter Jewel

Compact. Very Uniform.

Paler inner leaf. Low

growing.

Will heart up if not cut as a

green.

Ringspot on outer leaves.

Good late greens.

10.09.15

10.03.16

1087 (440)

Nickerson

Kempsy

Uniform. Medium height.

Slightly crinkled leaf.

Mid green in colour.

Good greens.

Some ringspot on outer

leaves.

10.09.15

19.01.2016

10.03.2016

1304 (528)

1420 (575)

Monsanto

Winter Special

Compact leaf and stem.

Dark green leaf. Very

uniform.

Heavy cabbage greens.

Easy to cut. Not as tall as

Winter Supreme.

10.09.15

19.01.2016

10.03.2016

1482 (600)

1154 (625)

8


SCIENCE SECTION

Introduction

Working in partnership with a number of national seed-houses the trials have enabled the

evaluation of commercially available autumn, winter cauliflower, late winter cauliflower and

spring green cultivars, in order that improved cultivars can be assessed alongside current

and established cultivars in order to improve yields, quality of produce and continuity of

supply.

Autumn, Winter and late Winter Cauliflower

The autumn cauliflower trial compared established cultivars alongside new introductions for

the heading period of early October to early November. We have seen introductions from

three new seed houses to the Trial in 2015-16 with three cultivars from Enza performing

well. These cultivars are being widely grown in France.

The main winter cauliflower trial compares cultivars transplanted in early and late July and

provides detailed information on the advantages/disadvantages of staggered transplanting

dates, which is commercially practiced in order to maximize the potential of some cultivars.

This trial covers cultivars heading from November through to April.

Increased interest and opportunities to market later heading winter cauliflower has seen a

number of new introductions for the May - June period and these have been evaluated with

some cultivars performing well.

The cauliflower trials provide detailed information on each cultivar including:-

Harvesting period. 10% 50% and 90% harvest dates.

% Grade 1, Grade 2 and unmarketable produce.

Marketable yields.

Comments on any defects, including disease tolerance especially for Xanthomonas

and mildew, pest presence, and the suitability for the various market outlets.

Evaluation on the ease of harvesting, packing, uniformity, depth and quality of curds.

Comments on curd protection, leaf quality and crop growth.

9


Varieties and numbered selections

The late variety trial consisted of 15 cultivars replicated twice, transplanted at 21193

plants/hectare (8580/acre). Transplanted on the 9th July 2015. This being an increase of two

cultivars compared to 2014-15.

The autumn cauliflower trial consisted of 10 cultivars replicated twice, transplanted at 25315

plants/hectare (10249/acre). This being an increase in density from 21193 plants/hectare

(8580/acre) in 2014-15 to reflect current commercial practice locally. Transplanted on the 9th

July 2015. This being an increase of one cultivar compared to 2014-15.

The winter cauliflower trial consisted of 31 cultivars transplanted at 21193 plants/hectare

(8580/acre). Transplanted on the 9th and 17th July 2015. This being a reduction of seven

cultivars compared to 2014-15.

Spring Green Trial

The spring greens trial compares commercially grown hybrid cultivars transplanted

alongside the traditional wintergreen cultivar. These are then assessed for suitability as

greens being harvested December to March depending on the cultivar and season.

Field plan is found within the Appendices.

10


Winter Cauliflower Trials 2015-16 Late Varieties

Trevarnon Farm. Gwithian, Cornwall

Table 6. Winter Cauliflower cultivars - Late varieties

Plot Seed House Variety Heading

Period

1 Monsanto Tenfold mid April

2 A L Tozer FT 3063 Lismore late May/June

3 A L Tozer FT 3069 Godrevy late May/June

4 Monsanto Tenfold mid April

5 A L Tozer FT 3063 Lismore late May/June

6 A L Tozer FT 3069 Godrevy late May/June

7 A L Tozer FT 3042 Dungeness mid/Late May

8 Elsoms Cartagena (BJ 2861) mid May

9 A L Tozer FT 3059 Skerryvore mid/Late May

10 Vilmorin VT 3004 May

11 A L Tozer FT 3042 Dungeness mid/Late May

12 A L Tozer FT 3059 Skerryvore mid/Late May

13 Elsoms Cartagena (BJ 2861) mid May

14 Vilmorin VT 3004 May

15 A L Tozer FT 3007 Wrangle early May

16 A L Tozer FT 3071 early May

17 Vilmorin Alpionis May

18 A L Tozer FT 3060 Flugga early May

19 A L Tozer FT 3007 Wrangle early May

20 Elsoms Fletcher early May

21 A L Tozer FT 3060 Flugga early May

22 A L Tozer FT 3071 early May

23 Vilmorin Alpionis May

24 Elsoms Fletcher early May

25 A L Tozer FT 3062 Mumbles late April/May

26 Elsoms Douglas late April

27 A L Tozer FT 3062 Mumbles late April/May

28 Clause Avelmor (CLX 33116) April

29

Elsoms Douglas late April

30 Clause Avelmor (CLX 33116) April

11


Cauliflower Trials 2015-16

Trevarnon Farm, Gwithian, Cornwall.

Autumn Variety Trial

Table 7. Cauliflower Trials cultivars

Plot Seed House Variety Heading Period

31 Clause Naruto mid October

32

Sakata Jericho mid October

33

Clause Rafale mid October

34

Clause Regata late October

35

Sakata Amadine late October

37

Rijk Zwaan Bellamy late October

38

Clause Optimist early November

39

Rijk Zwaan 26-407 early November

40

Monsanto 5982 Early November

41

Monsanto 5982 Early November

42

Rijk Zwaan 26-407 Early November

43

Clause Optimist Early November

44

Rijk Zwaan Bellamy Late October

46

Sakata Amadine Late October

47

Clause Regata Late October

12


48

Clause Rafale Mid October

49 Sakata Jericho Mid October

50

Clause Naruto Mid October

Winter Cauliflower Trials 2015-16

Trevarnon Farm. Gwithian. Cornwall.

Time of planting trial - First planting

Table 8. Winter Cauliflower Trials cultivars


92 Elsoms Telde November

93 Clause Navalo mid November

94 Clause Diwan late November

95 Elsoms Belot

late

Nov/December

96 Rijk Zwaan 26 – 434 early December

97 Clause Galiote early December

98 Clause Triomphant mid December

99 Clause

CLX 33422

(CHF 12-278) late December

100 Elsoms Paciano early January

101 Clause Jubarte early January

102 Clause Brick late January

103 Nickersons Trevaskis late Jan/February

104 Clause Redoutable early February

105 Monsanto 5697 February

13


106 Clause

CLX 33425

(CHF13-158) February

107 A L Tozer FT 1018 mid February

108 Clause Fleet mid February

109 A L Tozer FT 2067 late February

110 Clause Mascaret late February

111 Elsoms

Gerona (BJ

2860) late February

112 Monsanto Carantic

late Feb

/Early March

113 A L Tozer FT 2042 early March

114 Clause

CLX 33518

(CHF 12-273) early March

115 A L Tozer FT 2072 mid March

116 Elsoms Madiot March

117 A L Tozer

FT 2038

(Stromness) mid March

118 Elsoms Mystique mid/End March

119 Elsoms Isadora mid/End March

120 Clause

CLX 33519

9CHF 12-272) late March

121 Nickersons AE 9307 late March

122 Elsoms Tempest late March

14


Winter Cauliflower Trials 2015-16

Trevarnon Farm, Gwithian, Cornwall.

Time of planting Trial - Second Planting

Table 9. Winter Cauliflower cultivars


123 Elsoms Telde November

124 Clause Navalo mid November

125 Clause Diwan late November

126 Elsoms Belot late Nov/December

127 Rijk Zwaan 26 – 434 early December

128 Clause Galiote early December

129 Clause Triomphant mid December

130 Clause

CLX 33422

(CHF 12-278) late December

131 Elsoms Paciano early January

132 Clause Jubarte early January

133 Clause Brick late January

134 Nickersons Trevaskis late Jan/February

135 Clause Redoutable early February

136 Monsanto 5697 February

137 Clause

CLX 33425

(CHF13-158) February

138 A L Tozer FT 1018 mid February

139 Clause Fleet mid February

140 A L Tozer FT 2067 late February

141 Clause Mascaret late February

142 Elsoms

Gerona (BJ

2860) late February

143 Monsanto Carantic late Feb/Early March

144 A L Tozer FT 2042 early March

145 Clause

CLX 33518

(CHF 12-273) early March

146 A L Tozer FT 2072 mid March

147 Elsoms Madiot March

148 A L Tozer

FT 2038

(Stromness) mid March

15


149 Elsoms Mystique mid/End March

150 Elsoms Isadora mid/End March

151 Clause

CLX 33519

9CHF 12-272) late March

152 Nickersons AE 9307 late March

153 Elsoms Tempest late March

Spring cabbage trials 2015 – 2016

4 rows / variety 25cm spacing in row

Table 10. Spring Cabbage cultivars

Seed house Cultivar

Monsanto Winter Supreme

A L Tozer Winter Green

Nickerson Winter Jewel

Nickerson Kempsy

Monsanto Winter Special

Transplanted 10th September 2015 into moist soil conditions. 1000 of each cultivar. Module

grown transplants.

Winter Green being an open pollinated cultivar, with the remainder being F1 hybrids.

Trial site details

The Trials were undertaken at Trevarnon Farm, Gwithian, Cornwall by kind permission of

Mr. J. Hosking and Son.

Production details

The trials followed a crop of winter greens 2014 – 15 and left fallow prior to field operations

in early September 2015.

16


Cultural information 2015 – 16

Table 11. Cultural information for Autumn and Winter cauliflower trials

Fertiliser 24.06.2015 Base Dressing Yara 13.13.21@ 370kg/ha (3cwt/acre)

Nitram 34.5% Nitrogen @ 74.13 kg/ ha (0.6 cwt/acre)

11.09.2015 Top Dressing Yara Calcium nitrate 15.5%

Nitrogen 308 kg/ha (2.5 cwt/acre) headland only

(end of rows)


Nitrogen 296.5 kg/ha (2.4 cwt/acre)


Nitrogen 247.1kg/ha (2.0 cwt/acre)


Nitrogen 271 kg/ha (2.2 cwt/acre)



Weed control 15.07.15 GAMMIT @ 0.15ltr/ha SULTAN @0.6ltrs/ha in

300 litres of water. (First planting).

Inter row cultivations.

22.07.15 GAMMIT @ 0.15ltr/ha SULTAN @0.6ltrs/ha in

300 litres of water. (Second planting).

Inter row cultivations.

Pest control Wire netting prior to transplanting as rabbit control

Chemical plan

12.08.15 CYREN @ 2ltr/ha. Molytrac @ 0.250ltr/ha

Breakthru @ 0.3 ltr/ha in 300 litres of water/ha (cutworm)

09.09.15 in 300 litres of water/ha

AMISTAR TOP @ 1 ltr/ha (Ringspot control)

CYREN @ 1.5 ltr/ha.

Headland Copper@ 0.75 ltr/ha

Activator 90 0.3ltr/ha

MAGFLO 300 @ 2.5ltr/ha (Magnesium deficiency)

Farmfos @ 1.5ltr/ha

02.11.15 in 300 litres of water/ha (Late cauli only – Plots 1 - 30)

PLOVER @ 0.3 ltrs/ha.

CYREN @ 1.5 ltr/ha.



MAGFLO 300 @ 2.5ltr/ha


PLOVER @ 0.3ltrs/ha



MAGFLO 300 @ 2.0 ltr/ha

Farmfos @ 2.0 ltr/ha


17


RUDIS @ 0.4 ltr/ha


Decis @ 0.3ltr/ha

Bortrac (Boron) @ 3.0 lt/ha

Molytrac @ 0.15ltr/ha

T Cal (Calcium) @2.0 ltr/ha

Transplanting dates

Cauliflower Trials: Time of Planting Trials 9TH July and 16TH July

Autumn and Late Variety Trial 9th July

Spring greens: 10th September 2015 into excellent conditions

Cultural information 2015 – 16

Table 12. Cultural information for Spring Greens

Fertiliser 01.09.15 Base Dressing Yara 13.13.21@ 741kg/ha (6cwt/acre)







Weed control 20.09.15 GAMMIT @ 0.15ltr/ha SULTAN @1.5 ltrs/ha in 300

litres of water.

Pest control Wire netting prior to transplanting as rabbit control

Chemical plan 11.10.15 in 300 litres of water/ha

PLOVER @ 0.3 ltrs/ha

Alert @ 0.1 ltr/ha

MAGFLO 300 @ 2.5ltr/ha

Molytrac @ 0.250 ltr/ha

Breakthru @0.3 ltr/ha


PLOVER @ 0.3 ltrs/ha

Decis @ 0.3 ltr/ha



18



Gateway @ 0.1 ltr/ha


AMISTAR TOP @ 1 ltr/ha

(Ringspot control)


Gateway @ 0.1 ltr/ha

Molytrac @ 0.15 ltr/ha

Trial design

Each plot consisting of four rows with the outer rows being guards. Fifty plants of each

cultivar recorded with harvesting occurring every Monday and Thursday throughout the

harvesting period of the trials (October – July 2014-15).

Trial records and data collected

For each autumn and winter cauliflower cultivar the following record sheet is completed at

each harvest and on completion of harvesting summaries are made of all data collected

supported by visual observations as appropriate. These to be found in the Full Trial report in

the Appendices.

19


CAULIFLOWER RECORD

Title of Time of planting

Experiment …………………………………………………. Ref. V EO3 …….../………. ……………

Harv

est

Cla

ss o

r

Unm

ark

eta

ble

S

ize

Defects

Curd

Colo

ur

Curd

Depth

+

Imm

atu

re

Space A

not

punched

RECORDERS PLEASE NOTE

Missing Plots – When whole plot

missing put OO under harvest and

* under class.

Missing Plants – For each

missing plant unrecordable

through non varietal factors put

harvest OO and 1 under class.

Harvest Date – Put harvest

date/code against 1st, 11th + 21st

curd recorded on one harvest.

Class or Unmarketable

O – Extra Class, 1 – Class 1,

2 – Class 2, F – Facepack,

X – unmarketable.

Size– O Not sized

1 Button

8 Facepack

12

16

8 Blind

9 Frost killed in vegetative stage.

Ricey or Loose – Put 1 in

appropriate column or leave blank.

Bracts

1 White fine bracts.

2 Green bracts or leave blank.

Curd Colour

1 Yellow

2 Pink

3 Discoloured

4 Rotted curd

5 Slight frosted or water

soaked.

6 Severe frosted or water

Harv

est

Cla

ss o

r

Unm

ark

eta

ble

Siz

e

Defects

Curd

Colo

ur

Curd

Depth

+

Imm

atu

re

Space A

not

punched

Ric

ey

Bra

cte

d

Loose

Ric

ey

Bra

cte

d

Loose

Year 15 16

Plot

Col. (6-8)

Plot

(6-8)

20


soaked.

X Leaf Scorch

If X and other fault present write

X, X etc.

1 2

or leave blank.

Curd Depth + Immature

Record curd depth on all sized

curds

1 Depth ½ sphere

2 Depth 1/3 sphere - ½ sphere

3 Depth 1/3 sphere

4 Immature at final harvest or

leave blank.

Space A may be used to record

information helpful in interpreting

data (e.g. bird damage, stem rot

and an additional colour record).

Discussion

The top performing cauliflower cultivars highlighted within the results section normally

identifies cultivars that have performed above the average yield of 75% Grade 1.

Many of the autumn heading cultivars produced well above 70% Class 1 with some cutting

out over 85%, although the price to the grower is much less than the winter cauliflower

price. A greater planting density per hectare would increase yields and returns even at a

lower price to the grower.

Conclusions

Within the autumn and winter cauliflower cultivars, a number of seed houses have

introduced numbered cultivars which have performed well alongside established and

recently introduced cultivars. As with all new introductions these need to be evaluated over

several seasons to ensure consistency within various growing seasons. Those that have

done well this season include the following:-

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Table 13. Top performing autumn and winter cauliflowers

Seed House Number Heading period

Rijk Zwaan

26-407 Mid October

Monsanto

5982 Late October/November

Clause

CLX33422 November/December

Monsanto 5697 December

A.L.Tozer 2067 February

Clause CLX 33518 March/April

A.L.Tozer 2072 mid April

A.L.Tozer 3007 mid May

Nickerson VT 3004 June

It is to be noted that each cultivar performs differently from season to season, however data

is available over the past 20 seasons which provides a basis upon which growers can make

an informed decision on which cultivars to grow to provide a continuous supply.

Technology transfer

The trials are harvested twice a week and results are updated weekly on the following

website http://www2.cornwall.ac.uk/research/herring/default.asp

Open days were held in December 2015, January and March 2016 where up to date

information was made available to growers and representatives from the industry. A

growers evening also took place on the evening of the January meeting to update growers

on current work in regards Brassica developments within the seed houses represented in

the trials.

http://www2.cornwall.ac.uk/research/herring/default.asp

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Appendices

The following appendices show the summary results of all cultivars in the:-

Autumn Cauliflower Variety Trials 2015

Winter Cauliflower Variety Trials for 2015 – 16

Late Winter Cauliflower Trials 2016

With additional comments regarding each cultivar.

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Documents

Project title Field Vegetables: An evaluation of …...Technology transfer 21 Appendices 22 1 2010 Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Grower summary Headline The introduction