Home |
2012 Broccoli Variety Trial

2012 Broccoli Variety Trial

Results of the 2012 broccoli variety trial at Rock Springs, PA.

Save For Later Print

Articles

Trial Location

Horticulture Research Farm, Rock Springs, PA

Design

Randomized Complete Block with 3 replications.

Plot size

12 plants spaced 2' in-row and 3' between rows.

Transplanting date

June 8, 2012.

Fertility

100 lbs./A of N-P-K. Additional nitrogen was applied through the drip irrigation - 3 applications of 5 gals/ application of Total Feed 4 (4-0-1). Foliar application of BioForge @ 1.0 pt/A and More Power @ 1.0 pt/A was made on June 14, 2012. Also, a foliar application of Stimulate @ 1.0 pt/A and Ca5X @ 1.0 pt/A was made on June 29, 2012. Root Feed II @ 1.0 pt/A was injected through the drip tape on June 20 and 27, 2012.

Harvest dates

August 16 through September 30, 2012.

Variety	Source	Maturity-days
Arcadia	Sakata	72
Green Magic	Seedway	60
Monaco	Syngenta	98
Bay Meadow	Syngenta	63
Monte Carlo	Syngenta	74
Sarasota	Syngenta	105
Preakness	Syngenta	93
Destiny	Sakata	67
Imperial	Sakata	71
Gypsy	Sakata	59
Del Rico	Syngenta	60
Diplomat	Sakata	70
Emerald Pride	Sakata	68

Remarks

'Arcadia' had leafs growing through the head and generally was not domed shape. It did produce side shoots. 'Imperial' produced large, dome sized heads that were 6-8" in diameter. 'Preakness' had flat heads with leaves growing through the heads - it does not tolerate heat when forming heads. Both 'Monaco' and 'Preakness' produced the heaviest heads of broccoli, and 'Destiny' and 'Green Magic' also produced the highest number of side shoots. Based on size and shape of head, the two top varieties in this trial were 'Emerald Pride' and 'Imperial'. 'Emerald Pride' will produce side shoots, 'Imperial' does not produce side shoots.

Table 1. Marketable yield of 13 broccoli varieties grown during the summer of 2012 at the Horticulture Research Farm, Rock Springs, PA.
Variety	No. heads	Head wt.	Lbs/A Lbs.	Avg head wt.-oz	No. side shoots
Arcadia	7.7	4.4	5,249	9.2	3
Green Magic	11.3	8.2	9,782	11.6	21.7
Monaco	9.7	10.2	12,167	16.9	1.7
Bay Meadow	9.3	7.6	9,064	13	7.7
Monte Carlo	11	7.7	9,184	11.2	1.3
Sarasota	6	5.4	6,440	14.5	1.7
Preakness	8.3	7.9	9,423	15.2	0
Destiny	10.3	7.2	8,588	11.2	20
Imperial	8.3	6.5	7,753	12.6	0
Gypsy	11.3	7.5	8,947	10.7	4.3
Del Rico	10.7	7.9	9,423	11.8	5.7
Diplomat	10.3	5.8	6,918	9	4.3
Emerald Pride	10.3	6.3	7,514	9.8	9.3

Notes

'Destiny' - Leaves growing through flat head, non-uniform, ugly.
'Del Rico' - Leaves growing through head, flat head.
'Bay Meadow' - Leaves growing through head.
'Green Magic' - Few leaves growing through head.
'Preakness' - Head flat, leaves through head and yellow beads.
'Monte Carlo' - Leaves growing through flat head with large stem and difficult to harvest.
'Emerald Pride' - Nice domed heads.
'Diplomat' - Flatten shaped head.
'Del Rico' - Uneven head shape.
'Gypsy' - Head a little flat.