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Yield/plant of both stump-planted and offshoot-planted globe artichokes (Cynara scolymus L.) decreased as spacing decreased, but total yield increased. Highest yields were obtained at intermediate levels of number and spacing of shoots: 6 shoots/location at 1.2 × 1.2 m and 3 shoots/location at 1.2 × 0.9 m. Early yield of offshoot-planted artichokes was 7× that of stump-planted artichokes. Production from offshoots occurs in 2 discrete periods, a moderate yield 4 months after planting and a heavy yield during months 9 and 10. Production from stumps increased very slowly, peaking during the last 3 months of the experiment.

Field experiments with 5 levels of Nitrogen (0 to 200 kg/ha) and 4 crops—chicory(Chocorium intybus), fodder beet(Beta vulgaris), Jerusalem artichoke(Helianthus tuberosus) and grain sorghum(Sorghum bicolor) that have shown promise for alcohol production were conducted at 2 locations in California. Nitrogen uptake patterns, were evaluated and N cost for producing plant storage parts and fermentable carbohydrate were calculated. The crops were compared on these criteria. The yields of vegetative and storage organs during the crop growth are reported and their rate of change with growing time were determined. Yields of vegetative parts and total biomass of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) and grain sorgum (GS) were higher than to that of chicory (CH) and fodderbeet (FB). However, due to their lower harvest index, JA and GS produced lower yields of fermentable carbohydrate and at a much higher N cost than CH and FB. Fodder beet had the highest N uptake and the response to applied N was linear. Chicory and fodder beet which had lower N uptake rates continued N uptake from soil for a longer period than either grain sorghum or Jerusalem artichoke. The N uptake of the four crops were in the decreasing order of fodder beet, grain sorghum, Jerusalem artichoke, and chicory. With N application, N concentrations of vegetative as well as storage part increased in all the crops, however, a greater proportion of applied N went into vegetative parts. At both locations, CH had the lowest N cost per unit fermentable carbohydrate produced.

Gibberellic acid (GA3) was applied to globe artichoke plants prior to bud enlargement in the fall, and to similar plants during bud development in the spring. Single applications of 25 or 50 ppm were adequate to induce accelerated flower bud development. The rate of bud development was more pronounced when GA3 was applied in the fall. Although total yields from treated and non-treated plants were not significantly different, earliness was increased.

Flavor is an important factor in establishing consumer preference of carrots. Although harsh, strong flavor frequently occurs in available cultivars, the dominance of mild flavor in hybrids from harsh and mild parents suggests that carrot flavor can be improved rapidly when mild-flavored inbreds are available (1). Carrot inbred B2566 has been selected as a source of improved flavor and was used as a male parent in experimental hybrids tested in California, Florida, and Wisconsin. B2566 has demonstrated good combining ability for important fresh market characteristics of color, shape, and seed productivity along with desirable mild, sweet flavor and succulent texture. Because of these qualities, B2566 is being released jointly by the USDA, the Univ. of Florida, and the Univ. of California.

The open pollinated carrot (Daucus carota L.) ‘Beta III’ was released and widely distributed in 1986, primarily for its value as a garden cultivar and for an improved source of carotenes for providing vitamin A. It is a promising population for breeders to extract inbred lines for improved hybrids.