GCREC Research Report BRA2001-4 

                                              CABBAGE VARIETY EVALUATION

                                                               Winter 2000-2001

                                         D. N. Maynard^[1], A. M. Dunlap^[2], and B. J. Sidoti²
                                                Gulf Coast Research & Education Center
                                                                University of Florida
                                                            Bradenton, Florida 34203

Cabbage was harvested from 8400 acres in Florida in the 1998-99 season.  The average yield was 488 50-lb crates per acre and the total production was over 4 million crates.  With an average price/crate of $5.00 the crop was worth over 20 million dollars.  About 25% of the state’s acreage is located in Manatee County (Witzig and Pugh, 2000).  Florida ranked fourth among the states in value of the fresh market cabbage crop exceeded only by New York, California, and Texas (USDA, 2001).

This report summarizes results of a cabbage variety evaluation conducted at the University of Florida’s Gulf Coast Research and Education Center. 

                                                          Materials and Methods

Land Preparation.  Soil samples from the experimental area obtained before fertilization were analyzed by the University of Florida Extension Soil Testing Laboratory (Hanlon and DeVore, 1989): pH=6.4 (target pH is 6.5) and Mehlich I extractable P=38 (high), K=23 (low), Mg=101 (high), Ca=737 (adequate), Zn=3.2 (adequate), Cu=2.4 (adequate), and Mn=2.8(adequate) ppm.

The EauGallie fine sand was prepared in early November 2000.  Beds were formed and fumigated with methyl bromide:chloropicrin, 67:33 at 2.3 lb/100 lbf.  Banded fertilizer was applied in shallow grooves on the bed center at 2.52-0-3.50 lb N-P₂0₅-K₂0/100 lbf after the beds were pressed and before the black polyethylene mulch was applied.  The total fertilizer applied was equivalent to 220-0-304 lb N-P₂0₅-K₂0/acre.  The final beds were 32-in. wide and 8-in high, and were spaced on 5-ft centers with six beds between seepage irrigation/drainage ditches which were on 41-ft centers.

Transplant Production.  Seeds were sown on 19 October into 1.5 x 1.5 x 2.5 inch containerized cells  of Styrofoam transplant flats filled with a commercial mix (60% sphagnum peat moss and 40% vermiculite with 3 pounds dolomite, 1 pound Micromax [microelements] and 1 pound gypsum per yd³) produced by Faford, Inc., Anderson, SC 29621.  Supplemental nutrients were supplied periodically as liquid 20-20-20 (N-P₂0₅-K₂0).  The plants were hardened by withholding water and nutrients during the final phase of production.

Crop. Transplants were set in the field on 29 November in two rows per bed with plants spaced 12 inches within rows and each row was 8 inches to each side of the bed center.  Twenty-four plants per entry were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications.  At harvest, two border plants from each end of the plots were not used, thus,  20 plants from each entry were used in data collection.  Pesticides labeled for insect and disease control included: Bacillus thuringiensis, spinosad, imidacloprid, methomyl, insecticidal soap, and metalaxyl/chlorothalonil.

Harvest.  Cabbage was harvested when heads displayed a glossy sheen (rather than a waxy, dull sheen) and innermost wrapper leaves curled back tightly from the heads.  Heads were cut with three to four wrapper leaves, graded for marketability, measured and weighed.  Notes were made concerning any characteristic which caused the heads to be rejected as marketable under U.S. Standards for Grades for cabbage (USDA, 1981).  Six heads per replication were sampled and cut longitudinally through the core and inspected for density, leaf edge necrosis (tipburn), and core dimensions.  Data for marketable yield in 50-lb crates/A and as a percentage of plants set, plant stand, average head weight and diameter, and core characteristics were analyzed.

                                                           Results and Discussion

Mean monthly maximum temperature was lower than the 46-year average except in February.  Mean monthly minimum temperature was lower than the 46-year average except for February and March.  Rainfall was less than average throughout the period (Table 1).

Cabbage yields ranged from 873 50-lb crates for ‘Red Dynasty’ to 1357 50-lb crates/acre for ‘Gideon’ (Table 2).  Yields of ‘Bravo’, ‘Pruktor’, ‘Gloria’, and ‘Ramada’ were not different from those of ‘Gideon’.  The proportion of heads harvested varied from 86% for RCB 12 to 100% for ‘Bravo’ and ‘Matsuma’.  Times  from transplanting to first harvest were 71 days for RCB 12 to 93  days  for ‘Red Dynasty’.  Yields in this trial were similar to those obtained in the last trial held at this location (Howe and Waters, 1997) and 1.8 to 2.8 times greater than the state average yield (Witzig and Pugh, 2000).

Average head weight (Table 3) ranged from 2.6 pounds for ‘Red Dynasty’ to 4.1 pounds for ‘Gideon’.  Accordingly, all entries produced heads that would make 18 or less per 50-lb crate.  Equatorial dimensions were 5.3 inches for ‘Red Dynasty’ to 6.5 inches for ‘Bravo’.  Polar dimensions varied from 5.7 inches for ‘Ducati’ to 7.3 inches for ‘Gideon’.  Based on these measurements, ‘Bravo’, ‘Matsuma’, ‘Ducati’, and ‘Blue Dynasty’ have oval-shaped heads; ‘Solid Blue 790' has round heads; and the other entries have flattened heads.  Core length was greatest in RCB 12 and shortest in ‘Matsuma’.  Core diameter was greatest in RCB 12 and least in ‘Matsuma’ and ‘Red Success’.