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The effect of plant raising and cultural factors on the curd initiation and maturity characteristics of summer/autumn cauliflower crops

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. C. E. Wurr ,
E. D. Elphinstone  and
Jane R. Fellows
D. C. E. Wurr
Affiliation:
Institute of Horticultural Research, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF
E. D. Elphinstone
Affiliation:
Institute of Horticultural Research, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF
Jane R. Fellows
Affiliation:
Institute of Horticultural Research, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF
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Summary

Experiments were conducted in 1986 and 1987 to determine the influences of plant raising temperature, transplant age, N top-dressing and irrigation regime on the curd initiation and maturity characteristics of the cauliflower variety White Fox. The prime objective of this work was to determine whether changes in crop production practice had an influence on the period between curd initiation and maturity, in order to aid the development of techniques predicting when curds will reach a specific size.

The duration of the period from curd initiation to curd maturity was not significantly affected by any treatment in either year and treatment effects on curd size at maturity were of no practical importance provided that the recommended level of N top-dressing was achieved. It is therefore concluded that changes in production practices within the normal commercial range are unlikely to have any significant practical effect on the use of techniques to predict the timing of crop maturity.

There were large differences between the experiments in the mean number of leaves formed at curd initiation, which ranged from 22·0 to 36·7. In order to interpret these data a relative vernalization stimulus was calculated from 12 leaves onwards. It had a maximum rate of vernalization between 5 and 17 °C and a reduced rate at lower and higher temperatures and adequately accounted for the differences in the number of leaves at curd initiation.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 111 , Issue 3 , December 1988 , pp. 427 - 434
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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