Oakes Irrigation Research Site
Carrington Research Extension Center * North Dakota State University
P.O. Box 531, Oakes, ND 58474-0531, Voice: (701) 742-2189, FAX: (701) 742-2700, email: rgreenla@ndsuext.nodak.edu

CAULIFLOWER HYBRID PERFORMANCE TRIAL, 1998
Richard Greenland, Leonard Besemann, and Heidi Kerlin

Cauliflower is more difficult to grow than cabbage or broccoli. Production procedures are similar to cabbage or broccoli. In our studies, production has been quite variable from year to year.

Table 22. Early stand, days to harvest, yield, and overall quality of cauliflower.

Table 23. Head and curd characteristics of cauliflower.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Soil: Maddock sandy loam; pH=7.4; 2.2% organic matter; soil-P and soil-K were very high; soil-S was very low.

Previous crops: 1997 - potato; 1996 - field corn; 1995 - carrot and cabbage.

Seedbed
preparation: Disked on 31 October 1997. Multiweeded (field cultivated) three times: twice on April 20 to incorporate herbicide; and once lightly on April 29 to break up crust.

Planting: Direct seeded cauliflower on April 29 with a Stanhay vegetable planter modified to drill barley (1 bu/acre, 6-inch rows) between and parallel to the cauliflower rows. Seeds were spaced about 7 inches apart in 16-inch rows. Plants were later thinned to 15 inches apart (about 26,000 plants/acre). Seeds were placed about ½ to ¾ inches deep into a flat, fine seedbed. Sprayed Poast + Dash (1.5 pt/acre + 1 qt/50 gal) on May 26 to kill the barley cover crop.

Plots: Plots were 17 ft long by two rows wide. The study had 4 reps.

Fertilizer: On April 23, broadcast 14 lbs N/acre and 70 lbs P₂O₅/acre as 10-50-0, 16 lbs N/acre and 19 lbs S/acre as 21-0-0-24, and 94 lbs K₂0/acre as 0-0-60. Applied 69 lbs N/acre as urea on May 29. Sprayed 72 lbs N/acre as 28-0-0 on June 24.

Irrigation: Overhead sprinkler irrigation as needed.

Pest
Control: Weeds were controlled using Treflan (1 pt/acre applied preplant incorporated on April 20), Dacthal (10 lbs/acre on May 11) and by hand weeding. Sprayed Sevin (1.5 pt/acre on May 20) to control flea beetle. Sprayed Agree (1 lb/acre on June 3 and June 16), Malathion 57-EC (2 pt/acre on July 24), Asana (8 oz/acre on Aug 5 and Aug 13) and DiPel (1 lb/acre on June 25, July 1, July 7, July 13, July 20, Aug 11, and Aug 20) to control cabbage looper and cabbage worm.

Harvest: Each plot was hand harvested when heads were of marketable size. The plots were harvested four times from August 12 to September 9.

RESULTS

White Sails had the highest yields and the best quality. Concert, Wentworth, and Symphony also had good quality and yields. In general, the yields and quality were not as good as in 1996. Many of the cauliflower heads had problems with purple coloration.

Table 22. Early stand, days to harvest, yield, and overall quality of cauliflower in the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 1998 cauliflower performance trial.

Hybrid Seed source^† Early stand Days to harvest Harvest spread^‡ Number of heads Yield Overall score

plants/plot days 1000s/A 1000 lb/A 1 to 10

Concert NV 15.3 113 abc 28 b 16.6 bc 15.8 bc 6.9 a

Symphony NV 20.8 114 ab 28 b 20.4 ab 18.2 b 6.1 a

Wentworth ST 19.3 112 bc 28 b 18.3 ab 18.4 b 6.6 a

White Queen ST 13.3 108 cd 24 ab 12.3 cd 13.0 cd 4.2 b

White Sails ST 20.5 106 d 16 a 22.1 a 29.1 a 7.3 a

Shasta^§ RG 15.5 118 a 28 b 8.0 d 8.9 d 3.0 b

LSD (0.05) 5.1 ^¶ ^¶ ^¶ ^¶ ^¶

C.V. (%) 19 3 20 15 17 16

Hybrid	Seed source^†	Early stand	Days to harvest	Harvest spread^‡	Number of heads	Yield	Overall score
	plants/plot		days	1000s/A	1000 lb/A	1 to 10
Concert	NV	15.3	113 abc	28 b	16.6 bc	15.8 bc	6.9 a
Symphony	NV	20.8	114 ab	28 b	20.4 ab	18.2 b	6.1 a
Wentworth	ST	19.3	112 bc	28 b	18.3 ab	18.4 b	6.6 a
White Queen	ST	13.3	108 cd	24 ab	12.3 cd	13.0 cd	4.2 b
White Sails	ST	20.5	106 d	16 a	22.1 a	29.1 a	7.3 a
Shasta^§	RG	15.5	118 a	28 b	8.0 d	8.9 d	3.0 b

LSD (0.05)	5.1	^¶	^¶	^¶	^¶	^¶
C.V. (%)	19	3	20	15	17	16

^†See appendix A for seed source codes.

^‡The number of days between the first head being harvested and the last head being harvested.

^§Seed was saved from 1997. All other varieties were new seed received in 1998.

^¶Values in each of these columns followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level.

Table 23. Head and curd characteristics for the Oakes Irrigation Research Site 1998 cauliflower performance trial.

Hybrid Seed source^† Head Curd

size width shape^‡ density^§ size^¶ uniform^††

oz/head inches 1 to 4 1 to 3 1 to 3 1 to 5

Concert NV 15.2 6.3 bc 2.9 a 3.0 a 1.0 cd 3.6 a

Symphony NV 14.4 6.0 c 2.9 a 2.9 ab 1.4 bc 3.1 ab

Wentworth ST 16.1 6.5 bc 2.9 a 2.9 ab 1.4 cd 3.4 a

White Queen ST 16.9 7.4 a 2.2 b 2.3 c 1.8 b 2.5 bc

White Sails ST 21.3 7.1 ab 3.0 a 3.0 a 1.0 d 3.7 a

Shasta^‡‡ RG 17.5 6.1 c 2.5 b 2.6 bc 2.4 a 1.6 c

C.V. (%) 16 8 6 8 17 16

Hybrid	Seed source^†	Head	Curd
size	width	shape^‡	density^§	size^¶	uniform^††
	oz/head	inches	1 to 4	1 to 3	1 to 3	1 to 5
Concert	NV	15.2	6.3 bc	2.9 a	3.0 a	1.0 cd	3.6 a
Symphony	NV	14.4	6.0 c	2.9 a	2.9 ab	1.4 bc	3.1 ab
Wentworth	ST	16.1	6.5 bc	2.9 a	2.9 ab	1.4 cd	3.4 a
White Queen	ST	16.9	7.4 a	2.2 b	2.3 c	1.8 b	2.5 bc
White Sails	ST	21.3	7.1 ab	3.0 a	3.0 a	1.0 d	3.7 a
Shasta^‡‡	RG	17.5	6.1 c	2.5 b	2.6 bc	2.4 a	1.6 c

C.V. (%)	16	8	6	8	17	16

†See appendix A for seed source codes.

^‡Head shape - 4 is high dome; 3 is dome; 2 is flat or undulating; 1 is sunken.

^§Head density - visual estimate of head density. The higher the number the denser the head.

^¶Curd size - the higher the number the bigger the curd.

^††Curd uniformity - the higher the number the more uniform.

^‡‡Seed was saved from 1997. All other varieties were new seed received in 1998.

Values in the same column followed by the same letter are not significantly different at the 0.05 level. There were no significant differences between values in the column without letters.

Go to Oakes Irrigation Research Site Variety Performance Trials

Go to Oakes Irrigation Research Site 1998 annual report

Go to Oakes Irrigation Research Site crop index

Go to Oakes Irrigation Research Site home page

Soil:	Maddock sandy loam; pH=7.4; 2.2% organic matter; soil-P and soil-K were very high; soil-S was very low.
Previous crops:	1997 - potato; 1996 - field corn; 1995 - carrot and cabbage.
Seedbed preparation:	Disked on 31 October 1997. Multiweeded (field cultivated) three times: twice on April 20 to incorporate herbicide; and once lightly on April 29 to break up crust.
Planting:	Direct seeded cauliflower on April 29 with a Stanhay vegetable planter modified to drill barley (1 bu/acre, 6-inch rows) between and parallel to the cauliflower rows. Seeds were spaced about 7 inches apart in 16-inch rows. Plants were later thinned to 15 inches apart (about 26,000 plants/acre). Seeds were placed about ½ to ¾ inches deep into a flat, fine seedbed. Sprayed Poast + Dash (1.5 pt/acre + 1 qt/50 gal) on May 26 to kill the barley cover crop.
Plots:	Plots were 17 ft long by two rows wide. The study had 4 reps.
Fertilizer:	On April 23, broadcast 14 lbs N/acre and 70 lbs P₂O₅/acre as 10-50-0, 16 lbs N/acre and 19 lbs S/acre as 21-0-0-24, and 94 lbs K₂0/acre as 0-0-60. Applied 69 lbs N/acre as urea on May 29. Sprayed 72 lbs N/acre as 28-0-0 on June 24.
Irrigation:	Overhead sprinkler irrigation as needed.
Pest Control:	Weeds were controlled using Treflan (1 pt/acre applied preplant incorporated on April 20), Dacthal (10 lbs/acre on May 11) and by hand weeding. Sprayed Sevin (1.5 pt/acre on May 20) to control flea beetle. Sprayed Agree (1 lb/acre on June 3 and June 16), Malathion 57-EC (2 pt/acre on July 24), Asana (8 oz/acre on Aug 5 and Aug 13) and DiPel (1 lb/acre on June 25, July 1, July 7, July 13, July 20, Aug 11, and Aug 20) to control cabbage looper and cabbage worm.
Harvest:	Each plot was hand harvested when heads were of marketable size. The plots were harvested four times from August 12 to September 9.