The Duchy College Cornish autumn and winter cauliflower trials recently attracted around 70 attendees, including growers, agronomists, packers, and breeders. This annual event allows participants to evaluate new cauliflower and brassica varieties from leading seed houses. It also facilitates knowledge exchange through an evening conference.
Sophie Rapson, Duchy College Trials Manager, noted, "We're delighted to see so many attendees from all over the UK, Ireland, and even France at this event, and it shows how valuable these trials are to the future of the industry." She acknowledged the support from seed houses and local horticultural entities in making the event possible.
The trials, held at Trevarnon Farm near Hayle, featured 73 varieties, with planting dates on the 16th and 24th of July. Despite challenging weather, autumn varieties like Twistique and Eldir achieved over 90% class 1 heads. Sophie stated the trials include both new and established varieties to assess performance over multiple seasons.
Winter varieties faced rapid growth due to warm, wet conditions in November, followed by slower growth in December. This led to some issues with looseness and bracting. Top winter performers included E40W.822, Koten, and Sassolungo.
Peter Waldock from Hutchinsons highlighted the trials' importance, "The value that local growers and those from further afield get from having the opportunity to view new cauliflower genetics alongside established varieties cannot be underestimated."
The event concluded with a conference in St Ives, where breeders discussed new genetics and sustainability practices. Updates on crop protection were provided, with Tim Lacey offering insights into alternative strategies for growers.
Tom Rowe from Hutchinsons remarked, "The outstanding turnout shows just how much the industry values the Cornish trials, the conference, and of course the vital networking that happens along the way."
Source: Hort News