CABBAGE (Brassica oleracea L. Var-Capitata)

In Andhra Pradesh cultivating in an area of 581 ha. Climate The cabbage thrives in a relatively cool moist climate. It is grown mainly as a winter crop. Yields good between the day minimum temperature 5 to 30 degrees centigrade. Season Early crop August- September. Late crop September-October. Soils It is grown under varied soil conditions. Sandy loam soils considered best for early crop. But where a higher yield is the main criterion, clay or silt loam soil is preferred. It does not grow well in highly acidic soils. The optimum pH range for cabbage is between 5.5 and 6.5. Varieties GOLDEN ACRE Head compact and round(Ball head) early variety. Crops in 60-65 days. Small and compact in habit, stem is short with few outer leaves cup shaped. EARLY DRUM HEAD Heads are flat, big in size, early sowing variety. Crops in 60-70 days. PRIDE OF INDIA Heads big sized round shaped. Weighing 1.5 to 2.0 kg Comes to harvest with 60-80 days. Early cropping variety. PARI RANI GOLE S1 hybrid. Head compact and hard. Self life more crops in 85-90 days. PUSA DRUM HEAD Curds are compact, flat in its middle. Mid season variety LATE DRUM HEAD Head big in size, round, comes to harvest with in 100-200 days. Seeds and Sowing 700-800g of seed is required to transplant one hectare or a nursery raised in 100 sq meters with a seed rate of 700-800g will be sufficient to transplant one hectare. Treat the seed with thiram 3 g/kg of seed. Plough the soil 4-5 times to get a fine tilth . Apply 5-6 tons of farmyard manure in 100sq meters area and incorporate it in the soil. Prepare raised nursery beds (10 15cm height) with 4 meters length and 1 meter width. Mix the seed with sand or compost and then sow the seed uniformly on the nursery bed. Then cover the seed bed with dry leaves, to avoid shifting of the seeds from one place to another while giving irrigation. Remove all the dried material from the nursery bed, alter plant attains 1cm height with 2-3 leaves . Drench the soil with 0.2% copper fungicide as against the diseases. Spray malathion @ 2 1/2 ml/lit of water to control leaf eating caterpillar. Transplanting Plough the land 4 to 5 times till to get a fine tilth, 10-15 days before transplanting of seedlings. Prepare furrows and ridges at 60cm distance for long duration varieties and 45 cm for short duration varieties. Plant to plant distance 45cm and then transplant 25-30 days old seedlings. Manures and Fertilizers BASAL DRESSING Apply farmyard manure @ 40-50 tons/ha, 150-200kg/ha superphosphate and 100 kg/ha muriate of potash in the last puddle and incorporate in the soil. TOP DRESSING Apply 60-80 kg N/ha in three equal split doses i.e first dose 25-30 days after transplanting. Irrigate the crop immediately after fertilizer application. Intercultivation The plants will establish within 15 days . Weeding and hoeing should be done once within 20-25 days after transplanting. Deep hoeing should be avoided. Irrigation Irrigate the soil whenever the top soil moisture finds dried up upto 5-6 cm depth. Light soils weekly once, heavy soils 10 days interval irrigate the crop. Plant Protection Same as in Cabbage and Cauliflower. PESTS DIMOND BACK MOTH(plutella xylostella) Caterpillars feed on under surface of leaves and bite holes on leaves and cause serious damage. Affected leaves present a withered appearance. In severe cases the leaves are skeletoised. Control Spray malathion 0.1% (2ml/lit of water ) or 50WP carbarlyl 0.15% (3 g/lit of water ) or 40EC monocrotophos 0.04%(1.0 ml/lit of water) or 35 EC endosulfan 0.05%(1.5 ml/lit of water) or 50 EC fenetrothion 0.05% (1.0 ml/lit of water). CABBAGE BORER (Hellula undailis) Control The larva webs the leaves or bore into stem, stalk or leaf veins and cause damage by making the produce unfit for consumption. They also bore into the cabbage head. Spray Malathion 0.1% (2 ml/lit of water) or Carbaryl 0.16% ( 3 g/lit or water) or Endosulfan 0.05% (1.5 ml/lit of water). MUSTARD SAWFLY(Athalia lugens proxima) Grubs alone are destructive . They bite holes into leaves and prefer young growth, leaves are skeletonised completely Heavy defoliation takes place in severe cases. Control Spray Dimethoate 0.06% (2 ml/lit of water) or Endosulfan 0.07% 2ml/lit of water. PAINTED BUG (Bagrada cruciferarum) Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from leaves, shoots, resulting into wilting and affect the vigor of the plant. Control Spray Malathion 0.1% (2 ml/lit of water) or 30 EC Dimethoate 0.06%( 2ml/lit of water) or 35 EC Phosalone 0.05%(1.5 ml/lit of water). LEAF WEBBER(Crocidolomia binotalis) Leaves are skeletonized by the larvae which remain on the under surface of leaves in webs and feed on them. They also attach flower buds and pods. Control Spray Monocrotophos 0.04%(1.0 ml/lit of water) or Malathion 0.1% (2 ml/lit of water) CABBAGE GREEN SEMILOOPER(Trichopulsia ni) Larva bite holes and cause severe damage by skeletonising the leaves. Control Spray application of Endosulfan 0.07%(2 ml/lit) or Quinalphos 0.05%(2ml/lit) APHIDS(Brevicclvne brassicae; Lipaphis erysimi) They suck the sap from the under surface of leaves and cause damage. Control Spray malathion 0.1% @ 2ml/lit of water, or dimethoate 0.06% 2ml/lit of water. TOBACCO CATERPILLER(Spodoptera litura) Caterpillars are active during night time and feed on leaves and fresh growth. Young caterpillars skeletonise the tender leaves. Later broad leaves are completely eaten. Control a) Before head formation spray 100 EC phosphamidon 0.05%(1.5 ml/lit of water) or endosulfan 0.05%(1.5 ml/lit of water) or carbaryl 0.15%( 3 g/lit or water) b) After head formation spray malathion 0.05% or carbaryl 0.15%(2 ml/lit of water) Diseases BACTERIAL BLOCKROT(Xanthomonas camperstris) Blighting of leaves from margin to midrib in 'V' shape and blackening of vascular bundles are the main symptoms of this disease. control Seed treatment with hot water 50-52degrees centigrade for 20 minutes or soaking in streptocycline(100ppm) for 2 hours effectively control the disease under field conditions, rouge out infected plants and drenching the soil with Formalin(1 part in 250 parts of water) is also effective. WHITE RUST(Albugo candida) Located white rust like pustules are seen on leaves and stems. When fully developed these pustules have a powdery consistency and hypertrophy or stems and flowering parts takes place. Control Spray Dithane M-45 0.2% at 10-14 days intervals or 2 to 3 sprays of 0.4% Blitox or any other copper oxychloride preparation at 10 days interval after disease appearance. CULB ROT(Plasmodiphora brassical) Roots enlarge to form "Clubs"(Spindle shaped). This is followed by secondary invasion of soft rot bacteria forming materials toxic to plant and finally wilting takes place. Control Avoid infected fields. Treat the seedlings with Mercuric chloride solution (1: 1500) at the rate of 125ml per 100 seedlings at the time of transplanting. DAMPING OFF( Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia spp.) Stem of seedlings softened at the ground level, due to infection, the infected plants collapse and finally die. Control Treating seeds with thiram 2-3 g/kg sees. Drench seedlings in nursery beds with caption (1:1500) in water. Physiological Disorders BROWNING(Brown Rot or Red Rot) This is caused by boron deficiency. The trouble first appears as water soaked areas change into a rusty brown color. Browning is associated with hollow stems, other symptoms are changes in color of foliage, thickening, brittleness and downward curling of older leaves. Application of borox at the rate of 10-15 kg/ha on acid soils controls browning. On alkaline and neutral soils larger quantity should be used. BUTTONING Development of small heads or buttons is called buttoning Deficiency of nitrogen is main cause of bottoning. So care should be taken in selection of the suitable varieties in the season and timely application of nitrogen. BLINDNESS Blind cauliflower plants are those without terminal buds .The leaves which develop are large thick, leathery, dark green . Blindness is due to low temperature when the plants are small or injury by insects and pests. HARVESTING It is harvested when the head is of suitable size, firm but tender. In case of delaying of harvest protect the heads from sunlight by covering the heads in the lower leaves. Yield 10,000-15,000 kg/ha.