Vegetable Variety Evaluation

1
Vegetable Variety Evaluation

• Karen A. Delahaut
• Fresh Market Vegetable Program Coordinator

2
Why Evaluate Vegetable Varieties?

• Determine general characteristics of the variety.
• Determine whether the variety is suitable for
  Wisconsin.
• Compare new varieties with standard varieties.
• Evaluate disease resistance.

3
University Plant Breeders

• Function is to make crosses to develop
• Inbred lines
• Develop populations of diverse genetic material
• Includes unadapted material such as heirlooms.
• Used to develop open-pollinated varieties, inbred
  lines, and hybrids.

4
Seed Companies

• Use inbred lines created by university scientists
  and further select for desirable characteristics.
• Ex Abbot Cobb, Bejo, Harris-Moran, Rispens,
  Rogers, Rupp, Sakata, Seminis

5
Seed Distributors

• Provide seed from the seed companies to
  commercial growers and the general public.

6
2005 Season Vegetable Variety Trials

• Master Gardeners
• Community Gardens
• Agricultural Research Stations
• Grower Farms

7
Master Gardeners

• 38 Cooperators
• Summer Squash
• Mediterranean
• Spaghetti
• Scallop
• Novelty
• Colored Cauliflower
• Winter Radish

8
Community Extension Gardens

• Brown
• Racine
• Kenosha
• Oconto/Marinette

9
Agricultural Research Stations

• Winter Squash
• Garlic
• Brussels Sprouts
• West Madison
• Arlington
• Hancock
• Spooner

10
Growers Farms

• Pumpkins Kellers Kornucopia
• Bell Peppers Jacks Fresh Produce
• Fall Ornamentals Wisconsin Territories Market
• Roma Tomatoes Vermont Valley Pleasant Hill
• Heirloom Tomatoes Vermont Valley
• Romaine Lettuce Tipi Produce
• Spinach Snug Haven

11
Summer Squash

• Mediterranean
• Bonita
• Cancun
• Ghada
• Hurakan
• Zahra

• Spaghetti
• Small Wonder
• Stripetti
• Scallop
• Peter Pan
• Star Ship
• Sunburst
• Novelty
• Eight Ball
• One Ball
• Papaya Pear

12
Summer Squash Culture

• Check soil temperature
• 60F
• Plant seeds directly after May 10th
• Gardens along Lake Michigan or northern WI should
  be planted 2 weeks later
• 1 inch deep, 2-4 feet apart
• 3 plants/variety
• Keep plot weeded
• Gather data
• Includes harvesting and eating them!
• Digital photos as crop develops mature fruit

13
What to Evaluate

• Planting date direct seeded
• Percentage of the seed that germinated
• 1st flower date
• 1st female flower date
• 1st harvest date
• Number of fruit/plant

• Uniform color?
• (1-5 scale)
• Green varieties
• 1variable color
• 5uniform color
• Yellow varieties
• 1variable color or light green
• 5bright golden yellow

14
Colored Cauliflower

• Cheddar orange
• Graffiti purple
• Green Harmony green
• Panther - green

15
Cauliflower Culture

• Start seed indoors 4 weeks before transplanting
• Transplant to 12-24 inches apart
• Keep plot weeded
• Dont have to tie leaves
• Gather data
• Digital photos
• Fall crop?

16
What to Evaluate

• Planting date
• Percentage of seed that germinated
• Transplant date
• Harvest date
• Head size
• Quality curd browning
• Do colored varieties lose color when cooked?

17
Winter Radishes

• April Cross
• Minowase Summer Cross (standard variety)
• Omny
• Tama
• Tae Baek

18
Winter Radish Culture

• Seed directly into garden 65 days before 1st fall
  frost.
• ½ - ¾ inches deep, 2 inches apart.
• Keep plot weeded.
• Gather data
• Digital photos

19
What to Evaluate

• Planting date
• Percentage of seed that germinated
• Length of roots
• Quality cracking, pithiness
• Flavor hotness

20
Winter Squash

• Acorn
• Autumn Delight
• Table Ace
• (standard variety)
• Table Star
• Table Treat
• Tay Belle
• RAX 3102
• Buttercup
• Bonbon
• Orange Cutie
• Sunspot
• Super Delight
• Supreme Delight

• Butternut
• Atlas
• Bugle
• JWS
• Metro
• Waltham
• (standard variety)

21
Summer Squash Culture

• Check soil temperature
• 60F
• Plant seeds directly after May 10th
• Gardens along Lake Michigan or northern WI should
  be planted 2 weeks later
• Direct seeding -1 inch deep, 3-6 feet apart
• 3 plants/variety
• Keep plot weeded
• Gather data
• Includes harvesting and eating them!
• Digital photos as crop develops mature fruit

22
What to Evaluate

• Planting date
• Percentage of seed that germinated
• 1st female flower date
• 1st harvest date Total number of fruit (per plant
  or per acre)

• Fruit quality
• Average fruit weight
• Maturity - early, mid, and late season
• Powdery mildew resistance (Horsfall-Barratt scale
  0-11)
• Rate weekly beginning mid-August.

23
Disease/Insect Damage

• Pathogenic infections are rated according to the
  Horsfall-Barratt scale.
• 0 no infection
• 11 all foliage stems dead.

24
Brussels Sprouts

• Brilliant
• New 2004
• Jade Cross
• AAS 1959
• Long Island Improved
• Oliver
• Royal Marvel

25
Brussels Sprout Culture

• Start seed indoors May 1st
• Transplant June 1st
• 2 weeks later for Hancock Spooner
• Space 12-18 apart
• Keep plot weeded
• Gather data
• Includes harvesting and eating them!
• Digital photos as crop develops mature fruit

26
What to Evaluate

• Planting date (GH)
• Percentage of seed that germinated.
• Transplant date
• Harvest date
• Sprout size uniformity
• Disease resistance
• Flavor