HORTICULTURAL - Oklahoma State University–Stillwater · 2014. 3. 7. · • Leaves and flowers1 1/ to times the height and diameter of the pot • Flowers on stiff stems held above

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HORTICULTURALCrop Judging Manual

No. 702

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension ServiceDivsion of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

Oklahoma State UniversityExtension

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Howdoesaconsumerchoosewhichappletobuy?…orwhichpintofstrawberries?…orwhichpottedmum?…orwhichbouquetofflowers? Theabilitytoevaluatethequalityofhorticul-turalcropsisimportantnotonlyfromaconsumer’sviewpoint,butalsofromagrower’sviewpoint.Thegrower’s incomedependsupon theconsumer’spurchasing the product.According to the 1987Census ofAgriculture, the fruit, nut, and berryindustryhasamarketvalueofnearly$7.1billion,and thecutflower,cutgreens,pottedfloweringplant,andpottedfoliageplantindustryhassalesworth$1.7billion.Ourconcernswith the indoorandoutdoorenvironmentshavebroughtaboutaheightenedawarenessofthebenefitoffreshfruitsandvegetablesinourdiet,andthebenefitoflivefoliageandfloweringplantstoourownhealthandthehealthofourenvironment. Horticultural crops are evaluated on fourmain criteria—symmetry, uniformity, proportion,and showiness. Symmetry refers to the equaldistributionofmassaroundthecentralpointofagivengeometricform.Forexample,theformofafloweringpottedmumplantshouldappearroundwhenviewedfromabove.Uniformityreferstothesimilarityofindividualspecimenswithinahorticul-turalcropclass.Forexample,fourstrawberriesinaclassshouldbeuniforminsize,shape,color,etc.Proportionreferstothesizerelationshipbetweenthecropanditscontainer.Thiscriteriaisspecifi-callyappliedtohorticulturalcropsthataregrownand/ordisplayedincontainers.Forexample,pot-tedfoliageplantsshouldbepottedneitherintoolarge,nor toosmallofacontainer.Showiness,which may be interpreted as floriferousness orabundance of foliage when referring to floricul-turecrops,referstothevisualappealofthecrop.Forexample,cutflowersshouldbeapproachingtheirpeakofbloomandcolor.Specimenswithinaclass,displayingsimilarqualitiesforthesefourmaincriteria,canbediscernedbyevaluatingforcrop-specificmeritsandfaults.

Horticultural Crop JudgingDoug Needham, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Floriculture and 4-H & Youth Programs

Staging Whenaclassisstaged,thedifferencesamongthespecimensshouldbediscernible,butnotob-vious.Theprocessofstaging, that isarrangingspecimensfromfirstthroughfourthplace,ises-sentiallytheprocessagroweruseswhenprepar-ingacropfordistribution.Faultsmustbeproperlyidentifiedandweighted;however,onemustnotforgetthatmaterialsaregradedprimarilyontheirmerits,thatispositiveattributes,nottheirfaults.Thebestmaterial shouldbepresent in thefirstplaceentry,notinterspersedthroughouttheclass.Thestagershouldcomparethebestofthesecondplacewiththeworstofthefirstplacetoverifytheplacing,exchangingmaterialamongentriesuntilthedifferencesarerealanddefensible.Thirdandfourthplaceentriesarethenstagedinthesamemannerfromtheremainingmaterial.

Judging Thethoughtprocessesbehindjudgingarethesameasstaging,exceptthatthejudgemustnottouchthematerials,butrathertallythemeritsandfaultsofeachentryinhisorhermind,ormaybeonthebackofthescoringcard.Thejudgeshouldbeawareofthetimelimit;itmayvarydependingonwhoishostingthecontest.TheStateFair4-HHorticulture Judging Contest at Oklahoma Citypermitsthreeminutesperclass,asdoestheStateFFAInterscholasticMeetatOklahomaStateUni-versity. The judge should identify the best or firstplaceentryby themajorpositivecriteria.Heorsheshouldlookfortheentrywiththemostnearlyperfectmaterialbyconcentratingonthepositiveattributes,butdon’tignorethenegative.Thefirstplaceentryshouldnothaveanymajorfaults.Next,thejudgeshouldidentifytheworstorfourthplaceentrybythemajornegativecriteria.Then,heorsheshouldidentifythesecondandthirdplaceen-

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triesasintermediatebetweenfirstandfourthplace.Thejudgemustcarefullyweighthepositiveandnegativecriteriatodetermineplacement.Finally,thejudgeshouldconfirmtheorderofplacementbysummarizingthemeritsandfaults. Thejudgeshouldcircletheorderonthejudgingcardwhichcorrespondstothenumberrepresent-ingthefirst,second,third,andfourthplaceentries,respectively.Forexample,ifthejudgeidentifiedthe#3plantasbeingthebest,andthereforethefirstplaceentry;the#4plantasbeingthesecondplaceentry;the#1plantasbeingthethirdplaceentry;andthe#�plantasbeingtheworst,there-forethefourthplaceentry;heorsheshouldcircletheorder3-4-1-�onthejudgingcard. AlthoughgivingreasonsisnotpartoftheStateFair4-HHorticultureJudgingContestinOklahomaCity, the State FFA Interscholastic HorticultureMeetatOklahomaStateUniversity,ortheNationalIntercollegiateFloralCropQualityEvaluationCon-test,verbalizinghisorherreasoningforplacement

strengthens the judge’sability to recognize realanddefensibledifferences.Thejudgeshouldbearinmindthatsomecontestsmayincludeascoreforreasoning;therefore,itisgoodtopracticejudgingasifheorsheweregoingtogivereasons. Thejudgeshouldfollowfourguidelineswhenpreparingtogivereasons.(1)Heorsheshouldtake accurate notesbywritingreasonsforplace-mentonthebackofthejudgingcard.Thiswillhelpclarifythecriteriausedforselection.(�)Thejudgemustbesuretomake complete observations,omittingnoimportantreasonsforplacement.(3)Heorshemustbe clear in stating reasons,follow-inglogicalorganizationwhenpresentingreasonsfrom best to worst place. (4)The judge shouldemphasize differencesbyhighlightingthecriteriathatdistinguishtheplacements,includingmeritsandfaults.

Scoring Thereisamaximumof50pointsperjudgingclass.Cutsaredeterminedbythejudgingofficialwhostagesthecontest.Cutsestablishbynumberthemarginofdifferencebetweeneachofthethreepairs.Thesenumbersrepresentthepenaltiesforswitchingthetop(T),middle(M),andbottom(B)pairsandassuchformthebasisofgrading.Thetotal of all three penalties cannot exceed 15. Iftheytotal15,themiddlenumbercannotbelargerthan5. If theytotal14, themiddlenumbercan-notbelargerthan8.Therearenorestrictionsoncutstotaling13orless.Generally,theeasieritistodistinguishthedifferencebetweentwoentries,thegreaterthecutshouldbe.Forexampleifthecutswere3:5:7(T:M:B),thefirstandsecondplaceentries would be most nearly alike, accountingfora threepointdeduction in the judge’s scoreshouldheorshehaveswappedtheirplacement;themiddlepairwouldbelessalike,accountingforafivepointdeductioninthejudge’sscoreshouldheorshehaveswappedtheirplacement;andthebottompairwouldbetheleastalike,accountingforasevenpointdeductioninthejudge’sscoreshouldheorshehaveswappedtheirplacement. The cuts become additive should the judgemistakenlyplaceanentrymorethanonepositionabove theofficial’s placing.Continuingwith the

4-HJudgingContestPlacingCard

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example above, if the of-ficialplacingwere4-1-3-�withcutsof3:5:7,andthejudgemarkedtheplacingas3-1-4-�,thefollowingpointswould be deducted from50. Reading the judge’splacementfromlefttoright,the judge placed 3 above1, and the official placed1 above 3; therefore, 5pointswillbededucted(50–5=45).Next,thejudgeplaced3above4,andtheofficial placed 4 above 3;therefore,3+5pointswillbededucted(45–3–5=37).Next,thejudgeplaced3 above �, as did the of-ficial, thus no points arededucted.Next, the judgeplaced1above4,andtheofficialplaced4above1;therefore,3pointswillbededucted(37–3=34).Next,thejudgeplaced1above�,asdidtheofficial,thusnopointsarededucted.Finally,thejudgeplaced4above�,asdidtheofficial,thusnopointsarededucted.Thetotalscoreinthisexampleis34. JudgesandtheircoachesmaywishtousetheHormelComputingSlideorOSU’sJudgingCon-testScoringProgramCSS-115tomakescoringeasier.

Potted PlantS and nurSery Stock Somepottedplantshaveanuprightformandothershaveatrailingform.Althoughtheshapeofthespecimenwillvaryaccordingtospecies,thosewhichhaveanupright formshouldbecompactand symmetrical with uniform distribution andabundanceof foliage from the topof thepot tothetipoftheplant.Thesizeofcontainershouldbeappropriateforthesizeoftheplant.Thestemorstemsoftheplantshouldbestrongenoughtosupportitinanuprightposition,unlessitisavining

typeplantbeinggrowninanuprightform.Inthiscase,itisacceptablefortheplanttobesupportedandenhancedbyapoleorstake. Whenaviningtypeplant isgrowninatrail-ingform,theshapeandsizeoftheplantshouldcomplement the hanging container. The plantshould uniformly cascade over the sidesof thecontainertoalengthinscalewiththedepthofthecontainer. Generalguidelinesbeyondsymmetry,unifor-mity,proportion,andshowinessforjudgingpottedplantsare:

• Goodform

• Strongstems

• Plant(s)centeredinpot

• Samenumberofplantsperpot

• Clean,blemish-free foliagewithnospotsofspray,water,orfertilizerresidue

• Green,vividlycolored,ordistinctlyvariegatedfoliage

• Absence of insect, disease, mechanical, orethyleneinjury

Additionalguidelinesspecifictofoliageorflow-eringpottedplantsareasfollows.

Foliage Potted Plants• Absenceoflarge,conspicuousflowers(Excep-

tionisgivenforsomefoliageplantswhicharevalued for their flowers, suchasPeaceLily(Spathiphyllum spp.) and Flamingo Flower(Anthuriumspp.))

Flowering Potted Plants• Abundanceofblemish-freeflowerswith1/3to

1/�ofthemopen

• Absenceofpedunclestubsfromfaultyorlatedisbudding

Additionalguidelinesspecifictoagivenspeciesareasfollows.

WindowofHormelComputingSlide

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Calceolaria (Pocketbook) PlantsCalceolaria Herbeohybrida Group

• Leavesandflowers11/�to�timestheheightanddiameterofthepot

• Flowersonstiffstemsheldabovethefoliage

Cineraria PlantsPericallis ×hybrida

• Hemisphericalshapedplant

• Dome-shapedfloraldisplaydirectlyabovethefoliage

Cyclamen PlantsCyclamen persicum

• Hemispherical-shaped plant of firm, stockygrowth

• Outside ring of leaves held above the pot’srim

• Flowersonstiffstemsheldabovethefoliageinaflatplane

Daffodil PlantsNarcissus hybrids

• Leaves and flowers � 1/� to 3 1/� times theheightofthepot

• Absenceofsignsofwarmtemperaturestretch-ing

• Flower stems same length, producing flat-toppedfloraldisplay

• Flowers≥33/4inchesindiameterandborneabovethetallestfoliage

• Flowers faceoutward,ata rightangle to thestem,towardtheperimeterofthepot

• Perianthsegmentsarebroad,flat,andoverlap-pingslightlytoformarelativelyflatdisk

• Coronaiscylindrical,taperingsmoothlyintotheperianth

• Coronamaybenotched,curled,or recurved;although,notchesmustnotextendintothebodyofthetrumpet

African Violet

African Violet PlantsSaintpaulia ionantha hybrids

Multiple-crownplantsandsingle-crownplantsshouldnotbepresentinthesameclass;aclassshouldbecomposedofallmultiple-orallsingle-crownplants.

• Absenceofovercrowdingortwistedleaves

• Absenceofstretchedpetioles

• Strongstalksofflowersheldabovethefoliage

Azalea PlantsRhododendron hybrids

• Absenceofnewvegetativegrowtharoundtheflowersandbuds

Begonia (Rieger or Hiemalis) PlantsBegonia ×hiemalis

• Single,well-branchedplantina4"to6"pot

• Plantslightlywiderthantall;height80percentofwidth

• ≥5primaryflowerstems

• Flowersandflowerbudpotentialequaltoleafarea

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Easter Lily PlantsLilium longiflorum

• Singlestemrising1�"to18"abovepot’srim

• Fourtoeightflowersandbudsfacingoutwardsradially

• Anthers removed and absence of pollensmears

• Foliagelongeratbottomthanattopofstem

Exacum (German or Persian Violet) Plants

Exacum affine

• Tightlymoundedwithasomewhatcross-shapeasseenfromabove

Geranium (Garden or Zonal Type) PlantsPelargonium ×hortorum

• Threetosixflowerstemsperplantheldabout�"abovethefoliage

Geranium (Ivy Type) PlantsPelargonium ×peltatum

• Threetosixflowerstemsperplantheldabout�"abovethefoliage

Geranium (Regal, Martha, or Lady Washington Type) PlantsPelargonium × domesticum

• Synchronous flowering of all reproductivebuds

Gloxinia PlantsSinningia speciosa

Multiple-crownplantsandsingle-crownplantsshouldnotbepresentinthesameclass;aclassshouldbecomposedofallmultiple-orallsingle-crownplants.

• Regular whorls of leaves, radiating from acommonstemandappearingfromthesideasaflatteneddome

• Largeleaveswithshortpetioles

• Flowers looselyclusteredabout thecenteroftheplantandheldabovethefoliage

• 15to35flowersandbudswithabout1/4fullyopen

Hydrangea PlantsHydrangea macrophylla

• 15" to �0" single stem plant, branching justabove soil level to form a round or roundedtrianglewhenviewedfromabove

• Panicle of florets, terminating each primarystem—minimumofthreeperplant

• 90percentoffloretsopenandareeitherblueorpink,consistentwithintheclass

• Absenceofcleftinpanicle

• Absence of blind shoots and short scrubbygrowthatbaseofplant

Kalanchoe PlantsKalanchoe blossfeldiana

• Single, branched plant or up to three plantspottedasone

• Flowersandflowerbudsheldabovefoliageanddistributedovercrownofplant

Mum PlantsDendranthema ×grandiflorum

• Usuallyonetoeightplantsperpot,producingtheeffectofoneplant

• Compactplant15"to18"abovethepot’srim

• Flowersinaslightlyconvexplane

Poinsettia PlantsEuphorbia pulcherrima

Poinsettias are grown in various forms—pinched,straight-up,hangingbasket,andstandard(tree).Sizeofagivenformshouldalwaysbeinproportiontothepot.Thetrueflowersarethesmallyellowcyathiainthecenteroftheshowybracts.

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• Absenceofsignsofwarmtemperaturestretching

• Flowersnotover1/4to1/�open

• Anthersnotdehiscingpollen

• Flowersheldabovethefoliage

• Absenceofblotching,streaking,andblemishesintheflowers

• Absenceofstemdistortionifsecondarybudsarepresent

cut FlowerS Commonlytherearesixortwelvecutflowersperjudgingcontainer. Generalguidelinesbeyondsymmetry,unifor-mity, proportion, and showiness for judging cutflowersare:

• Goodform,facing,andspacingofflorets

• Flowersplacedsquarelyonthestem

• Nomissingflowersorflowerbudsunlessin-tentionallyremovedtoformasprayormass

• Strong,straightstems

• Cleanandblemish-freewithnospotsofspray,water,orfertilizerresidue


Additional guidelines specific to cut flowers areasfollows.

Spike Flowers

Freesia Cut FlowersFreesia cultivars

• ≥10floretsperprimaryscapewithonetotwofloretsopen

• Fourtofivefloretsperlateralscapeifpresent

• Scapebent90°atthefirstfloret

• Absenceof thumbing—excessivespacebe-tweenfirstandsecondflorets

Fuji Mum

Althoughredisthemostpopularbractcolor,poin-settias“flower”inpink,white,yellow,andvariousspeckled and splotched combinations of these.Aclassshouldbecomposedof thesameform,variety,andcolorofplant.

• Heightof15"fora6"to61/�"potsizewithfoliagefromthepot’srimtothebracts

• Large,colorfulbractswithcyathia

Primrose PlantsPrimula spp.andhybrids

• Singleplantofcloselyspacedleaveswithshortpetioles,centeredina4"to5"pot

• Flowerscarriedinspraysorwhorlsjustabovethe rosette of foliage with little or no spacebetweenflowersandfoliage

• Oneto10flowersperflowerstem,closelyorlooselyattacheddependingonthecultivar

Tulip PlantsTulipa hybrids

• Leavesandflowers�1/�to31/�timestheheightofthepot

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Mum (Daisy) Cut Flowers

Gladiolus Cut FlowersGladiolus hybrids

• Flowerspike≥1/3oftotalstemlength

• Floretsevenly spacedwithnoopenspacesamongtheflorets

• �/3offloretsopenandfacingforward

• Presence of non-bent, intact tip on flowerspike

• Absenceoflateralflowerspikes

• Floretsprogressivelysmallerfrombasetotipofspike

Liatris (Gayfeather) Cut FlowersLiatris spicata andL. scariosa

• Compact,non-spiralarrangementofflorets

• Progressionofdevelopmentfromtiptobaseofspike

• Tipfloretfresh

• Absenceoflateralgrowth

Snapdragon Cut FlowersAntirrhinum majus

• Flowerspike�/3openand1/3inbud

• Progressionoffloretdevelopmentfrombasetotipofspike

• Flowersfirmandfreefromdensewrinklingthatresemlescrepepaper


• Absenceofseedpodsoroldflowers

Stock Cut FlowersMatthiola incana

• Flowerspike3/4openand1/4inbud

• Progressionoffloretdevelopmentfrombasetotipofspike

• Flowersfirmandfreefromdensewrinklingthatresemlescrepepaper


• Absenceofseedpodsoroldflowers

Spray Flowers

Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily) Cut Flowers

Alstroemeria hybridsandcultivars

• Three to five cymes radially arranged withflowersfacingoutward

• Primary flowers fully opened with anthersdehiscingpollenandpistilelongatingbutnotsplit

• Presence of secondary and tertiary flowerbuds

• Pedunclesnotexcessivelylongorshort

Carnation (Miniature or Pixie) Cut FlowersDianthus caryophyllus

• Stem≥�4"long

• Flowers≤�1/�"indiameter

• Fourtosixflowersandflowerbudsuniformlydistributedalongthemainstem

• Plane of outer petals perpendicular to thestem

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• Hemisphericalshapedflower

• Strongcalyxwithnosplits

1. Slight fault—calyx split less than 1/� itslength

�. Medium fault—calyxsplittothereceptacle,butwithoutflowerdeformation

3. Serious fault—calyxsplittothereceptaclewithflowerdeformation,forexamplepetalsspillingout

• Absenceof “sleepiness”wherepetals in-rollbecauseofethylene

Mum (Daisy) Cut FlowersDendranthema ×grandiflorum

• Flowers borne in a flat or slightly convexplane

• Center inflorescences open, outer inflores-cencestighter

• Absenceofpromiscuousrays,wheretherayfloretsarisewithinthediskflorets

Mass Flowers

Carnation Cut FlowersDianthus caryophyllus

• Plane of outer petals perpendicular to thestem

• Hemisphericalshapedflower

• Strongcalyxwithnosplits

1. Slight fault—calyx split less than 1/� itslength

�. Medium fault—calyxsplittothereceptacle,butwithoutflowerdeformation

3. Serious fault—calyxsplittothereceptaclewithflowerdeformation,forexamplepetalsspillingout

• Absenceof “sleepiness”wherepetals in-rollbecauseofethylene

• Absenceoflateralgrowthorfaultydisbudding

Carnation

Daffodil Cut FlowersNarcissus hybrids

• Flowers≥33/4inchesindiameter

• Flowersatarightangletothestem

• Perianthsegmentsarebroad,flat,andoverlap-pingslightlytoformarelativelyflatdisk

• Corona iscylindrical, taperingsmoothly intotheperianth

• Coronamaybenotched,curled,orrecurved;although, notches must not extend into thebodyofthetrumpet

Dutch Iris Cut FlowersIris hollandica

• Flowersplacedsquarelyonthestem

• Standards are vertically erect and withouttears

• Fallsarewithouttearsandflareatrightangletothestandards

• Absenceofaninterferingsecondbud

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• Absenceofweaknecks

• Absence of side shoots or flower buds andrecentorfaultydisbudding

Tulip Cut FlowersTulipa hybrids

• Flowersnotover1/4to1/�open

• Anthersnotdehiscingpollen

• Flowersheldabovethefoliage

• Absenceofblotching,streaking,andblemishesintheflowers

• Absenceofstemdistortionifsecondarybudsarepresent

FruitS Commonlytherearefourorsixfruitsperjudg-ingplate.Fewerareusedwhen thespecimensarelarge.Allentrieswithinaclassshouldbeuni-forminsize,shape,color,andmaturity.Thebestentryshouldbeatprimeconditionforeating,notscratchedorbruised.Freedomfrominjurycausedbyinsects,disease,orhandlingisimportant,asisfreedomfromdroughtandnutritionaldeficiency. General guidelines beyond symmetry anduniformityforjudgingfruitsare:

• Goodformandsizeappropriatetothevariety

• Coloroffruitsconsistentwithvariety

• Samenumberoffruitsperentry

• Clean, blemish-free fruits with no spots ofspray,water,orfertilizerresidue


Additionalguidelinesspecifictofruitsareasfollows.

Apples ‘Golden Delicious’

• Fourfruitsperentry

• Clear,yellowskincolor

• Absenceofrussetspots

Gerbera Cut FlowersGerbera jamesonii

• Circular inflorescence when viewed fromabove

• Outerrayfloretsarrangedinaflatplane,over-lappingatregularintervals


• Absenceofover-maturestamens,thatismorethantworowsdehiscingpollen

• Absenceofweaknecks

Mum (Standard) Cut FlowersDendranthema ×grandiflorum

• Inflorescencesapproachingmaturitywithsomecenterfloretsnotfullydeveloped


Rose Cut FlowersRosa spp.andhybrids

Manytypesofrosesandcultivarswithintypesaregrown.Hybridtea,grandiflora,andfloribundaare the more common. Commercial roses aretypicallyofthehybridteatype,grownasalarge,singlefloweronastrong,straightstem,andmaybe judged in one of two stages—wholesale orretail.Wholesalestageisfairlytightinwhichonetoseveralouterpetalshavejustseparatedfromthe rest of thebud.Retail stage showsflowersnomorethan1/4to1/3open.Amateurstagehasflowersatleast1/�openandiscommonto4-HStateFairsandshowssponsoredbytheAmericanRoseSociety.Judgesshouldbeinformedofthedesiredstagebeforejudgingbegins.Presenceofmechanicalinjurytofoliageisnearlyunavoidablebutshouldbeminimal.

• Petalsarrangedinasinglespiral

• Absenceofbullheads(stubbyroseswithstiffpetals)andpeanuts(roseswithnormalformbutabnormallysmallandoflowpetalcount)

• Absenceofsignsofouterpetalshavingbeenpeeledoff

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Banana

‘Red Delicious’ Apple

Apples ‘Jonathan’


• Redskincolorwithyellowbackground

Apples ‘McIntosh’


• Redskincolorwithgreenbackground

• Flattenedinshape

Apples ‘Red Delicious’


• Darkredskincolor

• Oblong shape, accented with fivepoints onblossomend

Avocados


• Smooth, green skin or dark green to black,roughskin,dependingonvariety

• �1/�to31/�"indiameter

• Pyriformtooblongtoroundform

Bananas

• ≥4fruits(fingers)at8"to1�"longperhand

• Solidyellowskincolor

• Allfruitsfirmlyattachedtobase

Blackberries

• Fruitsfillingapintcontainerperentry

• Blackwithnoreddrupelets

• Absenceofcalyces

Blueberries


• Darkbluetoblackwithawaxybloom

• Absenceofstems

Grapefruits


• Skin color yellow with a red blush if a red-fleshedvariety

• Fineskintexture

• Flattenedglobeshape

• Absenceofgreeninskin

Grapes

• Minimumofonelargebunchperentry

• Berriescompactbutnotcompressed

• Berriesovalorovateshape

• Absenceofdesiccation

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Peaches


• ≥�1/�"to3"diameterfruit

• Skincolorredwithyelloworwhitebackground,characteristicofvariety

• Fuzzyskinnotexcessivelypubescent

• Roundtoslightlybeakedonblossomend

• Inconspicuoussuturedevoidofsoftspots

Pears


• Pyriformtoroundshape

• Skincolorgreenorredwithslightyellowback-groundcolor,characteristicofvariety

Pineapples

• Twoormorefruitsperentry

• Cylindricalshape

• Skincoloryellow-orange

• Intact,freshleafytop

Pear

Lemon

Lemons


• Fruitsaboutthesizeoflargeeggswithstemend to blossom end diameter greater thancross-sectionaldiameter

• Yellow,finetexturedskin

• Intact,greenbutton(calyx)onstemend

• Stemcutflushwiththebutton

Nectarines


• Skincolorprimarilyredwitheitheryelloworwhitebackgroundcolor

• Waxyskintexture

• Round toslightlyoblongshape,devoidofabeak

Oranges


• Skincolororangewithnotraceofgreen

• Fineskintexture

• Intactbutton(calyx)onstemend


• Areoleonblossomendverysmalltonon-ex-istent,exceptonNaveloranges

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Plums, European

• Fourormorefruitsperentry

• Skincolorglossy,darkbluetoblack,charac-teristicofvariety

• Ovaltoslightlyneckedonthestemend

• Absenceofwaxybloomonskin

Plums, Japanese

• Fourormorefruitsperentry

• ≥11/�"indiameter

• Skincolorglossy,greentodarkred,charac-teristicofvariety

• Ovaltoslightlybeaked,characteristicofvariety

• Absenceofwaxybloomonskin

Raspberries


• Redtoblack,characteristicofvariety

• Drupeletcupdevoidofreceptacle

Strawberries


• Uniformlyred

• Intact,freshcalyx

• Conicaltoslightlyflattenedshape,character-isticofvariety

Tangerines


• Skincolororange

• Skinmayappearloose

• Flattenedshapewithdiameterfromstemendtoblossomendlessthancross-sectionaldi-ameter

• Intactbutton(calyx)onstemend


Tangelos


• Skincoloryellow-orange

• Flattenedtoneckedinshape

VegetableS

Commonlytherearethreetosixvegetablesper judging plate. Fewer are used when thespecimensarelarge,morewhentheyaresmall.Freedomfrominjurycausedbyinsects,disease,orhandlingisimportant,asisfreedomfromdroughtandnutritionaldeficiency. General guidelines beyond symmetry anduniformityforjudgingvegetablesare:

• Good formandsizeappropriate to thevari-ety

• Colorofvegetablesconsistentwithvariety

• Samenumberofvegetablesperentry

• Clean,blemish-freevegetableswithnospotsofspray,water,orfertilizerresidue


Although some of the following are botani-callyconsidered fruits,becauseof theirmethodofpreparationorservice theyarehorticulturallyclassed as vegetables. Generally, if an item isserved after the main course, requires little ornopreparation,andmaybesugared, it ishorti-culturallyconsidereda fruit;whereas, ifan itemisservedwiththemaincourse,requiresminimalpreparation,andmaybesalted,itishorticulturallyconsideredavegetable. Additionalguidelinesspecifictovegetablesareasfollows.

Beans, Snap

• 10to1�podsperentry

• Flattened or rounded pod, characteristic ofvariety

• 1/4"to1/�"Stemoneachpod

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Cantaloupe

• Threefruitsperentry

• Fullymaturedandatprimeeatingcondition

• Rich,sweetfragrance

• Stemscardryandfreefromdecay

Carrots

• Threebundlesofsix toeight rootseachperentry

• 3/4"to11/�"indiameter

• Smoothandbrightorange

• Fresh,green leafy tops ifpresent;otherwisetopscutflushor1/�"fromshoulder

• Absenceofrootletsandripplesinflesh

Cauliflower

• Threeheadsperentry

• Tight, white flower buds free of protrudingleaves

• 4"to6"indiameter

• Leavesneatlytrimmedlevelwithtopofhead

• Stemsquarelycutatbaseofproximalleaf

Broccoli

Broccoli

• Threeheadsofthreetofourclusterseachperentry

• Stemcutsquarelyfor6"to7"overalllengthofhead

• Deepblue-greencolor

• Tightflowerbuds,freeofprotrudingleaves

• Leafpetiolescutflushwiththemainstem

Cabbage

• Threeheadswiththreetofourwrapperleaveseachperentry

• Wrapperleavesonlyslightlycurled

• Stemcutsquarelyatbaseofproximalwrapperleaf

Cabbage, Chinese


• Heads1�" to16" longand5" to6" indiam-eter

• Outer leaves trimmed to give head a tight,cylindricalshape

• Stemcutsquarelyatbaseofproximalwrapperleaf

Cauliflower

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Mustard Greens

• Threebundlesperentry

• Greens11/�"to�"topointof tiewithrootsremoved

• Flatorcurlyleaves,characteristicofvariety

Okra

• Twelveyoung,tenderpodsperentry

• Stemsquarelycut1/�"frompod’sshoulder

Peas, English or Southern

• Tento1�podsperentry

• Shiny,long,straight,well-filledpods

• 1/4"stemintact

Pepper, Bell

• Sixfruitswith3to4lobeseachperentry;lobesuniformwithineachentry

• Stemsquarelycutlevelwithfruit’sshoulder

Pepper, Hot

• Sixfruitsperentry

• Stemsquarelycut1/�"to1"fromfruit’sshoul-der

Potato, Irish or White

• Sixtubersperentry

• Sixto1�oz.tubers17/8"indiameter

• Skinfirm,well-cured,andfreeofdebris

Potato, Sweet

• Sixtuberousrootsperentry

• Eightto16oz.tuberousroots�"to3"indiam-eter

• Skinfirm,well-cured,andfreeofdebris

Cucumber, Pickling


• Straight,non-taperedfruitwithbluntends

• ≤�1/16"indiameterand≤6"long

• Skincolordarkgreenwithnoyellow

• Stemsquarelycut1/4"fromfruit’sshoulder

Cucumber, Slicing

• Threeorsixfruitsperentry

• Straight,non-taperedfruitwithroundedends

• 11/�"to�1/4"indiameterand7"to8"long

• Skincolordarkgreenwithnoyellow

• Stemsquarelycut1/4"fromfruit’sshoulder

Eggplant

• Threefruitsperentry

• Skincolordark,glossypurple,freeofgreenorwhitestreaks

• Greencalyxcleanandfreeofbrownedgesorpatches

• Stem squarely cut 1" to 1 1/�" beyond thecalyx’sbase

Lettuce, Head


• Heads firm to hard with two intact wrapperleaves

• Stemsquarelycutto≤1/4"ofproximalwrapperleaf

Lettuce, Leaf


• Compact,youngheadstrimmedofdamagedordiscoloredleaves

• 5"to9"indiameter

15

Sweet Corn

• Sixearsperentry

• Earsfilledtothetipwithsilksintact

• Outerloosehusksremoved,buttight,greenhusksintact

• Peduncle squarely cut at base of proximalhusk

• Kernelsatprime,milk stage,notdoughyorwatery

Tomato


• Smooth,firm,crack-freefruits

• Calyxgreenandfreshifintact

Turnip Greens

• Threebundlesperentry

• Bundles11/�"to�" longatpointof tiewithrootsremovedorintact

• Intactrootsnottoexceed1"indiameter

Turnips

• Threebundlesof four tofiverootseachperentry

• Root�"to3"indiameter

• Intacttaproot

Watermelon

• Onefruitperentry

• Smooth,clean,deepgreenskinwithcontrast-ingstripesorgray-greenskin,characteristicofvariety

• Ripeandreadytoeat

Radishes

• Threebundlesofeight to10rootseachperentry

• 5/8"to1"indiameter

• Leafytopsintact,fresh,andgreen

Spinach

• 3/4to1lb.ofplantsperentry

• Crownintactwithrootsremoved

• Crisp,darkgreenleaves

Squash, Acorn


• ≥3"indiameter

• Darkskinwithdeepyellowbackgroundcolor

• Stemsquarelycutatfruit’sshoulder

Squash, Crooked Neck

• Sixyoungfruitsperentry

• <6"long

Radishes

16

nutS

Commonlytherearefourorsixnutsperjudgingplate.Nutsmaybedisplayedwiththeshellintactorremoved.Iftheshellisintact,itshouldbefreeofcracks.Numberofnuts/poundandkernelpercentmayaccompanyeachentry.Thekernelpercentserves as an initial guide of how well-filled thenutsare.Freedomfrominjurycausedbyinsects,disease,orhandlingis important,asisfreedomfromdroughtandnutritionaldeficiency. General guidelines beyond symmetry anduniformityforjudgingnutsare:

• Good formandsizeappropriate to thevari-ety

• Colorofnutsconsistentwithvariety

• Samenumberofnutsperentry

• Clean,blemish-freenutswithplumpkernels


Additionalguidelinesspecifictopecansareasfollows.

Pecans

• Kernelcolorlighttan,notamberordarktan

• Absenceofhuskresidueonshell

• Absenceofblackspotsand“fuzz”onkernels

reFerenceSCss-115OSUJudgingContestScoringProgram,

AnimalScienceDept.,OklahomaStateUniversi-ty,101AnimalScience,Stillwater,OK74078.

Hormel,1HormelPlace,Austin,MN5591�.AManualforFlowerJudging,PiAlphaXi-National

HonorSocietyforFloriculture,LandscapeHor-ticulture,andOrnamentalHorticulture,Depart-mentofPlantandEarthSciences,UniversityofWisconsin,RiverFalls,WI5400�.

Acknowledgments4-H Curriculum Coordination by Dr. Charles Cox,

DepartmentofAgriculturalEducation,Communica-tions,and4-HYouthDevelopment,OklahomaStateUniversity.

PhotographybyToddJohnson,AgriculturalCommuni-cationsServices.

CoverdesignbyJonDickey,AgriculturalCommuncia-tionsServices.

Text design and layout by Gayle Hiner,AgriculturalCommunicationsServices.

EditingbyJenniferRoark,AgriculturalCommunicationsServices.

17

Thefollowingtablemaybehelpfulinpracticingjudgingofpecans.

Cultivar Avg. Number Nuts/lb. Avg. Kernel %* Apache 51 56 Barton 5� 55 Burkett 53 54 Caddo 70 55* CapeFear 47 55* Cherokee 48 55* Cheyenne 55 55* Chickasaw 5� 53 Choctaw 46 58 Colby 6� 45* Comanche 44 5�* Delmas 45 50* Desirable 39 54* Elliot 67 53 Giles 7� 51 GraKing 40 53 Gratex 48 54 Houma 57 55* Ideal 66 59* Imperial 3� 56* JohnGarner 5� 6� Kiowa 46 57* Mahan 41 55 Maramec 45 58 Mohawk 37 57* Moore 74 50 Mount 75 5� Oconee 48 56* Onliwon 61 61 Pawnee 50 58 Peruque 81 59* SanSabaImproved 7� 51* Schley 6� 54 Shawnee 57 58 Shoshoni 45 5� Sioux 65 55 Squirrel 54 57 Squirrel'sDelight 63 5� Stuart 50 47* Success 49 50* Tejas 54 54* TexasProlific 56 54 Western 58 55 Wichita 5� 60

*CultivarnottypicallygrowninOklahoma.

18

noteS

19

noteS

20

Oklahoma 4-H Is. . .

Oklahoma4-Hisatotalyouthdevelopmentprogram

designedtoeducateboysandgirls,ages9to19,about

thingsinwhichthey’reinterested.Memberslearnlife

skillsbeactuallydoingprojectworkundervolunteerguid-

ance.Inaddition,4-H'ersareapartofaclubinwhich

they participate in leadership and community service

activitiesandhavefun.It'saprogramthatinvolvesthe

wholefamily.4-HisapartoftheOklahomaStateUni-

versityCooperativeExtensionService,whichprovides

currentsubjectmatterfromtheDivisionofAgriculture

andCollegeofHomeEconomics. 4-H ismaking the

bestbetter.

OklahomaStateUniversity,incompliancewithTitleVIandVIIoftheCivilRightsActof1964,ExecutiveOrder11246asamended,TitleIXoftheEducationAmendmentsof1972,AmericanswithDisabilitiesActof1990,andotherfederallawsandregulations,doesnotdiscriminateonthebasisofrace,color,nationalorigin,sex,age,religion,disability,orstatusasaveteraninanyofitspolicies,practicesorprocedures.Thisincludesbutisnotlimitedtoadmissions,employment,financialaid,andeducationalservices.

IssuedinfurtheranceofCooperativeExtensionwork,actsofMay8andJune30,1914,incooperationwiththeU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture,CharlesB.Browning,DirectorofOklahomaCooperativeExtensionService,OklahomaStateUniversity,Stillwater,Oklahoma.ThispublicationisprintedandissuedbyOklahomaStateUniversityasauthorizedbytheDeanoftheDivisionofAgriculturalSciencesandNaturalResourcesandhasbeenpreparedanddistributedatacostof$3.00percopy.0906RevisedGH.

21

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Documents

HORTICULTURAL - Oklahoma State University–Stillwater · 2014. 3. 7. · • Leaves and flowers1 1/ to times the height and diameter of the pot • Flowers on stiff stems held above