The Influence of Ventilation Temperature and Plant Raising Method on the Yield of Early Summer Cauliflowers

Abstract

SummaryTwo experiments with the early summer cauliflower cv Perfection examined the effects of raising plants from autumn sowings in pots, peat blocks and as bare-root transplants under three ventilation regimes: no ventilation and ventilation when the temperature inside the raising glasshouses exceeded 5° or 10°C. In a cold winter there was no effect of ventilation on marketable yield but in a milder winter both ventilation treatments increased marketable yields by reducing the proportion of ‘buttoned’ plants. Pot-raised plants were the largest at transplanting, produced the highest percentage of ‘buttons’ and had the lowest marketable yield. Block-raised plants were smallest at transplanting, gave the fewest ‘buttons’ and had the highest yield. Marketable yield was negatively correlated with the number of leaves at transplanting and positively correlated with the final number of leaves.