The effects of different methods of cultivation and plant spacing on the chemical composition of broccoli heads

The aim of the present experiment was to assess the influence of the method of cultivation and spacing on the market and nutritive quality of ‘Lord F1’ broccoli heads. The experiment was conducted at the University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland, in 2002-2004. The method of broccoli cultivation (direct sowing or transplanting, and spacing: 20, 30, 40 and 50 cm × 67.5 cm) had no clear influence on the dry matter content in the heads. The mean dry matter content in broccoli heads was 9.5%, and reducing sugar was 1.12% of fresh matter. In 2002 and 2004, transplanting resulted in an increase of soluble sugar content as compared to direct sowing. The element content in broccoli was dependent mainly on the vegetation season, but in many cases directly sown plants had more phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. With the increase of spacing in rows the content of some elements (P, K, Ca, Mg) in broccoli heads rose in the first year of the experiment. The mean content of elements found in broccoli heads was as follows (in mg kg^-1 of dry matter): phosphorus 6001, potassium 23447, calcium 3696, magnesium 1583, and iron 66.7.