The purpose of this trial was to evaluate lines of cabbage for late spring or early summer harvest. This requires planting out in early spring and many varieties will bolt under these conditions. Direct seeding is often impossible in early spring and emergence would be slow and erratic. Thus, the lines were seeded in an unheated glasshouse for later transplant. This is the second in a series of early cabbage trials.
Methods
Twelve lines were seeded into 2-inch pots of peat-vermiculite mix on January 11, 1985 and were transplanted to a Willamette silt loam on February 25. Land preparation included a broadcast, incorporated application of 800 pounds/acre of 10-20-10, 0.75 pounds/acre trifluralin and 1.3 pounds/acre chlorpyrifos. Plants were spaced 3 feet between rows and 1.5 feet in the row, with five plants/plot and three replications of each variety or line in randomized complete block design. An additional 50 pounds N/acre as urea was sidedressed on March 27. A diazinon drench at 1 pound/acre and metalaxyl at 8 ounces/acre were applied on April 2. Harvest began on June 3 and continued at weekly intervals until July 8.
Results and Discussion
Head size was generally smaller than in 1984, with more tendency to bolt in 1985 for varieties included in both trials. The planting was more than a month earlier in 1985 than in 1984. A freeze in early May, after heads had started to form, may have contributed to a tendency to bolt prematurely.
Most varieties produced elongated or pointed heads. Highest gross and marketable yields were obtained with Bravo. Earliest varieties were Earliana, Conquest, Express, Head Start, and Sunup. Head Start did not perform as well in this trial as in 1984, but was still above average in head size and percent marketable yield. Bravo performed well in 1984 as well as 1985, but was later maturing in 1984.
Table 1. Harvest range and yield of cabbage lines, 1985 Variety SourceZ Harvest range Mean head Yield Bolting Usable Comments First Peak Last wt.(lb) (tons/A) (%) heads(%) Bravo 2 6/10 6/10 7/01 2.4 12.2 0 100 green, slightly pointed. Conquest 5 6/03 6/03 6/10 1.1 3.6 13 0 soft, elongated, purple. Earliana 3 6/03 6/03 6/03 1.6 8.3 19 40 light green, pointed. Express 5 6/03 6/03 6/24 1.3 4.9 33 13 slightly elongated, purple. Head Start 5 6/03 6/03 7/01 1.8 8.5 0 53 slightly elongated, green-purple. Market Prize 2 6/03 6/24 7/01 1.5 5.9 0 40 soft, elongated, green. Market Topper 2 6/03 6/10 7/08 1.6 8.1 0 40 elongated to pointy, some edema. Ocala 1 6/10 7/08 7/08 2.3 9.4 13 80 round to slightly pointed. Sunup 2 6/03 6/03 7/01 1.3 5.9 7 7 green, slightly pointed. XPH 1104 5 6/03 6/03 7/08 1.7 8.6 13 67 purple, very pointed. 55-629 4 6/03 6/03 7/08 1.4 6.4 7 20 green, elongated. 55-707 4 6/03 7/08 7/08 2.1 7.9 20 40 purple, pointed. LSD(0.05) 0.6 3.4 11 27 ZSources: 1. Sun Seeds 2. Harris-Moran 3. Burpee 4. Takii 5. Asgrow