Effect of transplant age on growth and yield ofbroccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica)

Abstract

ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted during 2003–04 to find out the effects of transplant age on growth, harvest time and yield of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck). Broccoli cultivars ‘Jade’ F1, ‘Monopoly’ F1 and ‘Monaco’F1 were sown on 24 April 2003 and 25 April 2004 and transplanted at 10 days intervals, starting from 23 May 2003 to 24 May 2004, to obtain transplants at age of 30, 40 and 50 days. Transplant age affected growth, harvest time and yield of broccoli significantly. While the highest main head weight (385.1 g), diameter (9.3 cm), length (8.8 cm) and total yield (6054.0 g/lot); lateral shoots number (650.3), weight (39.6 g), diameter (6.4 cm) and length (5.7 cm) were obtained from 30 day-old transplants, the lowest values were obtained from 50 days old transplants in both the years. The effect of transplant age varied with cultivars. Results suggest that 30 days may be a reasonable target age for transplanting broccoli.