Effects of sowing times on yield and head size of broccoli grown in the gap area, Turkey

Effects of sowing times on Broccoli cultivation was studied in the Area of South Eastern Anatolian Project (GAP), during the growing seasons of 1994-1995 and 1995-1996. Five different sowing times between the Middle of June and Middle of August, with 15 days intervals were tested using two early (Sultan and SGI) and one late (Marathon) hybrid varieties. The most suitable sowing time was determined to be between the middle of June and beginning of July, plants of which period was best transplanted in August, under the condition of controlled irrigation. The yield obtained from the preferable growing period was approximately 1 kg/plant and 40 t/ha for which a plant density of 4 plants/m was used. While the primary heads produced 20-25 %, the lateral receptacles contributed to the total yield at a ratio of 75-80%. A continuous harvest of five months between October and March, was determined to be applicable in the GAP Area