Charleston, South Carolina

The consistently high day and night summer temperatures in the Charleston area allow us to identify broccoli breeding lines and hybrids that perform well under the hottest eastern conditions. Mark Farnham of the USDA Vegetable Research Laboratory directs the site.

The two Charleston plantings went into the ground on 7 March and 21 March, 2011, with the second of these expected to experience greater heat stress. Although much of the southeastern US experienced severe storms and tornados this spring, this location was spared; both Phase I trials ran smoothly and concluded by the end of May.

Charleston, SC 2011 broccoli trial site in mid-April. Photo: Mark Farnham.