Studies on performance of sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) under different growing conditions

A field experiment was conducted to study the performance of sprouting broccoli cv. Green Magic under polyhouse, 50 per cent shadenet and open field conditions during winter season of 2012–13 at Horticultural Research Station, Aswaraopeta, Khammam district, Telangana state (erstwhile Andhra Pradesh). The experiment was laid out in RBD with three treatments and seven replications. Among the three different conditions naturally ventilated polyhouse (NVPH) with retractable shadenet recorded highest head diameter (9.29 cm), head weight (265.0 g) and marketable yield (7.95 t ha⁻¹), which was at par with open field conditions in case of head diameter (9.22 cm), head weight (234.34 g) and marketable yield (7.03 t ha⁻¹). Number of days for head initiation was lowest in open field conditions (61.14 days), which was at par with NVPH (62.14 days) and number of days for head development was lowest in open field conditions (26.71 days) followed by NVPH (29.86), which was at par with 50 per cent shadenet (30.14 days).