2018 ASHS Annual Conference

The Brussel sprout (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) is a cool season Cole crop in the mustard family. Sprouts, resembling small cabbage heads, develop along the leaf axil, maturing from ground level upwards. The majority of U.S. Brussels sprouts are produced in California. However, Brussels sprout popularity continues to rise in the Southeastern United States. In Louisiana and South Carolina, small scale vegetable producers are planting small plots of Brussels sprouts (less than 0.25 acres) for high end restaurants, grocery stores and farmers market consumers. A replicated variety trial was conducted in Husser, LA and Charleston, SC to determine if particular varieties would perform well in the fall season in warm humid states. Twenty-one varieties were initially selected, but because of low seed germination and poor performance in the field, the study was narrowed to 12 varieties. Total number of buds per plant, average bud diameter and total bud weight per plant were measured. Combining data from both states, ‘Hestia’ produced heavier total bud weight than all tested varieties. ‘Hestia’ also produced higher number of buds than ‘Dagan’, ‘Franklin’ and ‘Colbus’, and had wider bud diameter than ‘Colbus’, ‘Nautic’, and Diablo’. Separating variety performance by state, ‘Hestia’ grown in Louisiana produced the least number of total buds, ranked average in bud weight, and was among the top varieties for bud diameter. South Carolina grown ‘Hestia’ ranked in the top two varieties for bud number, bud weight and bud diameter.