This broccoli production trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of Terreplenish® as a foliar spray to improve yield, marketability, disease and insect resistance. The plot design is a simple side by side in like soil.
This trial at Beaver Creek Gardens, Poplar Grove, IL was a spring trial and will be duplicated as a fall trial to be planted in mid-August.
Cultivar-Amadeus (F1) (Brassica oleracea) Medium-sized, fancy heads are dark blue-green with nice domes and a fine bead. Initial heads are followed by good yields of side shoots. Vigorous, medium-large plants.
PLANTING: Seeded in greenhouse 3/8/2012 in 50 cell trays. Transplanted in field 4/17/2012
ROW SPACING: Two rows on 60” beds with rows 14” apart and in-row spacing 18”.
IRRIGATION: .25 gpm dripline on 12” spacings. Treated and untreated areas received simultaneous watering.
SOIL: Sandy clay loam, ph 7.2, O.M. 3.5%.
PREVIOUS CROP: Oats with red clover.
FERTILITY: 10 tons composted horse manure per acre
PESTICIDES: Liquid spray application of BT to control cabbage worm
Terreplenish® APPLICATION: Treated area was foliar sprayed using Terreplenish® at a 50-1 dilution with water and applied at 6.875 gal. per acre rate—six times, 41.25 GPA equivalent.
FIRST APPLICATION — MAY 10
SECOND APPLICATION — MAY 17
THIRD APPLICATION — MAY 24
FOURTH APPLICATION — MAY 31
FIFTH APPLICATION — JUNE 7
SIXTH APPLICATION — JUNE 14
SUMMARY: Disease and insect pressure were low in both the treated and untreated plots. We had below normal rainfall and using only drip irrigation, disease was not an issue.
Cabbage worms were easily controlled with a single application of BT. Fifty-nine day transplant to harvest was not an early crop for the cultivar. The treated plants were taller, with stocky, tight branching supporting a smooth marketable head. Untreated plants were smaller all around, lighter branching, but yet marketable heads.
The main difference was the yield per acre weight. This trial will be repeated for fall harvest. The trial will be expanded to include a treated area with preplant soil application and injection into the drip irrigation of Terreplenish®.
“We applied a foliar treatment to our broccoli crop once a week for 6 weeks at the 50-1 dilution using 8 gal. of Terreplenish® per acre. We have harvested the initial heads, and the treated area heads averaged 3.1 lbs., while the untreated area heads averaged 0.53 lbs. …Visually, there is a remarkable difference in the plant size and conformation. … The treated area is equivalent to 4.65 tons per acre, definitely on the high side for organic production on a dry year, or any year.”
— RON DOETCH, SOLUTIONS IN THE LAND, LLC.
