In a Nutshell
Six farmers compared three broccoli varieties, Belstar, Gypsy and Imperial, to determine which produces better during summer months (harvest July – Sept.) in Iowa.
Key Findings
Imperial had the highest yields at four of six farms, followed by Gypsy and Belstar. At three farms, Imperial had statistically higher yields than the other varieties. Plant spacing differed by farm, but average yield per area was 0.28 lb/ft2 for Imperial, followed by Gypsy (0.27 lb/ ft2), and Belstar (0.22 lb/ft2). Following the indications of the data, most farmers strongly preferred Imperial as their summer broccoli variety.