Effect of Cladding Material and Date of Transplanting on Growth and Yield of Greenhouse Broccoli During Winter in High Altitude Ladakh, India

Abstract

Broccoli is a cool-season crop. The optimum temperature for initiation of flowering and head growth is 15-20°C. Due to subfreezing temperatures at night, the crop is not traditionally cultivated in winter in the high-altitude Ladakh region. We found that growing broccoli in a passive solar greenhouse in winter is feasible. The choice of greenhouse cladding material and the date of transplanting are important factors that need to be considered. The mean marketable head weight of the cv. Fiesta and KTS-1 in a passive solar trench greenhouse with polycarbonate cladding material transplanted on 8 September were 403±106 and 169±100 g, respectively. Delayed transplanting on 8 October did not produce any marketable head. Covering the greenhouse with a polyethylene sheet did not result in marketable heads on both transplanting dates. We anticipate our study to be a starting point for researchers and the farming community to optimize the greenhouse production of broccoli during freezing winter-months in high-altitude regions.