Effect of Cabbage Planting Dates and Plant Population on Plant Water Use, Biomass Accumulation, and Yield

Florida is ranked number two for fresh market cabbage production in the US, with an economic value of over $70 million per year. Seepage irrigation and broadcast fertilizer application are practices that are very common in cabbage production in Florida. Seepage irrigation has low water use efficiency because it requires a significant withdrawal of water from the aquifer to maintain a high water table to irrigate the crop, and can cause leaching and runoff of nutrients. Drip irrigation provides higher water use efficiency. Although, the plasticulture system that utilizes a combination of drip tape and plastic mulch has been used in several vegetable crops, this system is still under adaptation for Florida cabbage production. The objectives of this project were to evaluate water use efficiency and yield of cabbage grown under plasticulture planted at four dates with tree high density plant populations. The trial was conducted during fall of 2013 in Hastings, FL. Cabbage ‘Bravo’ was grown on 1.22 m wide raised beds with black plastic mulch and two drip tapes. A split plot experimental design was used with randomized complete blocks with four replications. Main plots consisted of  three planting dates September, October and  November and subplot treatments were in-row plant spacings 25,  30 and 36 cm with final plant populations of 77,500; 64,583 and 55,348 plants/ha. There was no significant interaction between planting dates and plant spacing treatments. The October planting date yielded 64,942 kg/ha of fresh cabbage heads, 12% and 22% higher than September and November planting respectively. Within each planting date the 25, 30 and 36 cm in-row spacing did not significantly affect final marketable yield.