Performance on postharvest quality of late season cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) varieties in Terai region of Nepal

The experiment was conducted at Horticulture Farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Nepal during the November 2016 to March 2018 for two consecutive years to assess the characteristics on postharvest quality of late season cauliflower varieties. The experiment was laid in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with the eleven late season cauliflower varieties viz., Freedom, Titan, Ravella, Amazing, Artica, Bishop, Casper, Indam 9803, NS 106, Snow Mystique, and Snowball 16, each replicated with four times. Significantly higher TSS value of 5.7º Brix was produced by Snowball 16 than other varieties. Considerably higher vitamin C of 49 mg/100 g was found in Amazing than other varieties. Significantly lower physiological loss in weight of 5.3%, 9.6% and 15.6% was found in Artica at three, six and nine days after harvesting, respectively. Higher score for the taste of curd was 8.8 in Snowball 16 followed by Amazing while lower score for taste of the curd was 4.8 in Indam 9803 variety. The attractive color and more compact curd score of 8.4 was found in both Titan and Artica than other varieties. Therefore, it can be concluded that Snowball 16 and Amazing varieties were the best open pollinated varieties for taste of the curd and composition of chemical constitutes. Bishop, Snow Mystique, NS 106, Artica and Titan varieties were other probable hybrid varieties based on their overall postharvest characteristics