Environmental factors in cauliflower curd initiation and growth.

Abstract

In 1982, 1983 and 1984, seedlings of the cultivars Delira and Elgon were transplanted on several dates during the summer. The number of days between transplanting and curd initiation varied between 25 and 46 and was not related to the transplanting date. The date of curd initiation was correlated with the mean temperature in the period after initiation of the 19th leaf. At higher temperatures, curd initiation was delayed. The initiation date for Elgon tended to be a few days later than that for Delira. The final number of leaves (all initiated before curd initiation) was best correlated with mean maximum day temperature in the period between initiation of the 19th leaf and curd initiation. The variation in duration of curd growth was less than the variation of the period between transplanting and curd initiation. The duration of curd growth could be explained as well by the date of curd initiation as by a temperature-time product or by the mean irradiance. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)