AGRONOMICAL EVALUATION OF BROCCOLI RAAB GENOTYPES FOR FRESH CUT AND PROCESSING PRODUCTS

Broccoli raab (Brassica rapa L.) also called turnip top or rapini, is widely cultivated in central and southern Italy; the edible portion is composed of the green-immature inflorescences (heads) and the tender stems with its most young leaves. In the last years the interest of the consumers to this vegetable is rising; moreover, a substantial increase of consumption could come from processed (frozen) or fresh-cut products (FCP), that offer to consumers convenience, high nutritional value and flavour, while still maintaining their freshness.
This paper provides information on the suitability of different genotypes of broccoli raab to obtain frozen and fresh-cut products.
Two year open field trials were carried out on six genotypes of broccoli raab: ‘Locale di Bari’, ‘Molfettese’, ‘Centoventina’, ‘Pasqualina’, ‘Fasanese’ and ‘Quaran-tina’. Total yield, biometric traits and colour measurements were determined on broccoli raab plants at each harvest. To prepare FCP, young stems, heads, leaves and secondary cuts were selected trimmed, washed and drained. Panel tests were arranged on the FCP to evaluate organoleptic attributes; the results were graphically repre¬sented by sensorial profiles.
Biomass production varied from 45 t ha^-1 observed for ‘Pasqualina’ to 26 t ha^-1 for ‘Quarantina’, whereas the highest percentage of the portion useful for processing resulted for ‘Quarantina’ (69%) and the lowest for ‘Centoventina’ and ‘Pasqualina’ (30% on mean). The width of main heads reached 9 cm for ‘Pasqualina’ and was 4.2 cm for ‘Locale di Bari’, ‘Molfettese’ and ‘Quarantina’. High number of side cuts (13), was recorded by ‘Fasanese’ and ‘Pasqualina’.
The results seems to show good perspectives to obtain fresh cut and processed products of good quality by broccoli raab.