The Effect of Two Different Harvesting Methods on the Yield of \u27Topbunch\u27 and \u27Hi-Crop\u27 Collards (Brassica Oleracea (L)) When Grown in a Wiregrass Tunnel House

A study was conducted to determine if 100% or 50% harvesting of collard leaves was a suitable recommendation for Tunnel House producers. The experiment was conducted as a split-split plot design with varieties as the main plots, harvesting 100% or 50% of leaves as the sub-plots, and days after transplanting as the subplots. All treatments were replicated three times, drip irrigated, and fertilized according to soil test recommendations. The results showed significant interactions between varieties and method of harvest, for leaf numbers and weight. Conversely, the varieties showed significant differences for yield but not leaf numbers. Both varieties showed significant increases in leaf numbers and yield at each harvest period when 50% of the leaves were harvested, instead of 100%. This approach led to higher leaf recovery rates suggesting that a 50% leaf harvest would result in higher yields, and reduce the harvest intervals from the present 21 to 12 or 18 days