QUALITY OF DIFFERENT CABBAGE CULTIVARS INTENDED FOR BIOLOGICAL FERMENTATION

Fresh cabbage (Brassica oleracea convar. capitata L.) from the production area of Ogulin (111 km from Zagreb) is a good raw material for biological fermentation. The climatic and pedological characteristics of the area favor the production of late cabbage cultivars, cabbage fermentation and sauerkraut storage. Production of cabbage intended for fermentation was followed for two years. The following cultivars were represented in the first year: ‘Admiral’, ‘Junior’, ‘Kilor’, ‘Krautman’, ‘Satelite’ and ‘Varaždinski’. The trial, laid out according to the randomized block scheme with four replications and the average plant density 4.16/m², resulted in 57 to 98% of marketable heads. Marketable head mass ranged from 0.49 to 2.55 kg, the yield varying from 20.33 t/ha (‘Admiral’) to 103.83 t/ha (‘Krautman’). The following cultivars were represented in the second year: ‘Azan’, ‘Donar’, ‘Junior’, ‘Kilor’, ‘Krautman’, ‘Satelite’ and ‘Varaždinski’. Plant density of 4.16 plants/m² resulted in 65 to 94% of marketable heads with the average mass from 0.94 kg (‘Donar’) to 1.71 kg (‘Krautman’). Head hardness index (mass/volume) ranged from 0.88 to 1.20, while the yields were from 33.28 t/ha (‘Varaždinski ‘) to 67.74 t/ha (‘Krautman’). Fermentation of heads and shredded cabbage was monitored by chemical analyses of dry matter content, soluble dry matter (°Bx), % NaCl, pH, total acidity (% lactic acid) and vitamin C, as well as sensory characteristics of color, taste, odor and consistency. The results of chemical analyses and sensory characteristics point to appreciable advantages of cultivars ‘Krautman’ and ‘Varaždinski’.