INTRODUCTION

• Origin-South and Western part of Europe• Native to Europe, growing along the cost of the North

sea• Annual world production -21million tones of

fresh heads from 1.1 million hectares• Cultivate in large extent in Sri Lanka mainly in the up-

country as a year round crop• In the low country it is only during Maha season• Important economical and rotational crop in the major

vegetable growing areas.

ABOUT THE PLANT

• Roots- adventitious root system• Stem- unbranched stem • Leaves- arises as the growing point

- The outer leaves are green in colour and the inner ones are white

- As the plant grows, the leaves increase in number, forming a ball-shaped “head”

• Bud- formed by overlapping of numerous leaves developing over the growing point of its shortened stem

VARITIES

• Green Coronet-Firm, Light green, oval shape, up country

• Exotic F1-Medium firm, flattened round, Low country and mid country

• Hercules-Uniform blue green, very firm, semi globe, up country

• Gloria-Firm, flattened globe, up country

CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS

Temperature• Grow best in a relatively cool and humid climate• In drier atmospheres

-Leaves are petioled and impaired quality of the head

-Poor yield-Difficult to control pest

• Optimum temperatures for growth and development - 18 °C to 20 °C

Rainfall• Water requirements vary from 380 to 500 mm per

crop• Depend on climate and length of growing season. • Crop water use increases during the growing end

period of the seasonSoil requirement • Can be grown on a wide range of soils • Grow well on well-drained

-moisture-retentive loamy soils-well supplied with organic matter.

• Not grow well on highly acidic soil.

pH ranges• Ranges 5.5 to 6.5 • Should not be allowed to fall below 4,5• If pH above 6,5 - leaves become dark but leaf

margins die back

CULTIVATION PRACTICES

Propagation-propagated from seedsSoil preparation-• Clean the land before 8 weeks planting• Ground must be ploughed deeply (can use disk

harrow ) • Soil should be fumigated two weeks before planting

time if necessary, to control nematodes.

PLANTING• Can be planted

-Direct-seeding -Transplanting of seedlings

Nursery management• 3 m x 1 m size raised bed (about 12 - 15cm raised) is

recommended.• The area should be; - Opened for sun shine, - That should not be cultivated Brassicacie family crops early. - Soil should not be an acid

• Apply paddy husk and straw layers on the surface of the bed

• Fire from the opposite of the wind direction to sterilize the bed

• Apply 3 - 4 Kg of organic manure • Put seeds about 1 cm deep on the lines that

maintain 10 cm space with the lines• Desired size and only well-hardened, young, stocky

plants should be used to transplant

• Transplanting is done on moist soil. • In wet areas use raised beds or ridges • It reduce water-logging and stem or root rot

diseases • Apply fungicide to control damping off and

anthracnose.• Water to the bed and mulch it by using paddy

straw.• Cover the beds by using polyethylene

• It should not be transparent to avoid sun rays and rain

• Plant population and spacing influence head size, head shape and yield

• Plant populations vary according to the target market for a particular crop

FERTILIZATION

• Requires supplemental fertilization in the form of -manure or compost-N-P-K

• 1 st application –add together with P and K• 2 nd application-3 weeks after transplanting

IRRIGATION

• Should be irrigated after sowing or transplanting.• Irrigation intervals -10 to 12 days in heavy soils or 8

days in light soils • Should receive enough water for vegetative growth

before forming heads in young plants• Excess moisture -cause plant to damage leaves

WEED CONTROL• Controlled by

-mechanically -by hand as well -chemically ( application of registered herbicides)

PEST CONTROL

1.Aphids Types

-Grey cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae)-Green peach aphid (Myzus persicae)

Damage -Suck sap from the plant and contaminate the edible product-Causes a chlorosis -Make malformation of the leaf.

2.Diamond-black moth (Plutella xylostella)Damage- Suck sap from tender growth, resulting in a

whitish, scarred appearance

3.Bagrada bug (Bagrada hilarus)Damage -Suck sap from tender growth, resulting in a whitish, scarred appearance

4.American bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera)Damage-Larvae feed on the leave

-Destroy the growing points of the plants

5.Cabbage webworm (Helula spp.)Damage

- Larvae spin a thin web over their feeding places- Destroy the growing point of the plants

6.Greater cabbage moth (Crocidolomia binotalis)Damage

-Larvae spin a thin web over their feeding place-Destroy the growing point of the plants.

7.Red spider mite-Red spider mites Damage

-Suck, resulting in a bronzing and yellowing

8.Cutworm (Agrotis spp.) Damage

-Cut off the stems of young seedlings close to ground level

9.Plusia looper (Plusia spp.)Damage

-Plusia looper feeds on the leaves and causes damage by cutting the foliage

10.ThripsDamage

-Contaminate the edible product, thus affecting its appearance or quality

11.Nematodes Damage

- Cause unthrifty and may become stunted

GENERAL CONTROL MEASURES

• Can be practice-Crop rotation-Use resistant cultivars-Use registered chemicals (information can be

gained from DOA)

DISEASE CONTROL

1.Damping off (Altenaria spp., Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium spp.)SymptomsWilt infected seedlings , turn purple and die, and often have no lateral roots.Control- Using treated seed- Sterilizing the seedbed before planting- Removing infected plants when symptoms appear

2.Sclerotonia rot or white mould (sclerotinia sclerotiorum)

-favored cool, wet conditions Symptoms

Above-ground parts of infected plants may be covered with a white cottony growth

Control-By crop rotation-Planting on ridges or raised beds- Removal and destruction of infected crop residues- Good water management aimed at keeping the soil dry

3.Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae)- Soil-borne disease -Most severe on acid soils or moderate pH soils that are poorly drained

SymptomsStunting, wilting and purpling of leaves

Control- By practicing sanitation- Practicing crop rotation- Grow transplants in fumigated

beds- Lime the soil

3.Fusarium wilt or cabbage yellows (Fusarium oxysporum f.conglutinans)

Symptoms -Yellow foliage, often mainly on one side of the plant-Leaves become distorted and gradually turn brown and drop prematurely-Discolor vascular area

Control- By planting resistant cultivars- Growing cabbage in winter- Planting on soils free of disease- Soil fumigation before planting- Practicing crop rotation- Practicing sanitation

4.Black leg (Phoma lingam)-Seed-borne disease

Symptoms White to light brown lesions with a purple to

black margin develop on the stem and on leaves

Control- Use containerized seedlings.- Do fungicide treatment of seedbed.- Seedbeds should be situated far from old production

fields.- Seedbed should be destroyed if leaf lesions are found

5.Bacterial leaf spot (Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola)

-Severe in cool, moist weatherSymptoms

-Small, faint, water-soaked areas on the underside of leaves

-Affected areas develop into brownish to purplish grey necrotic spots, fairly irregular after a few days

Control- Do chemical control.- Plant tolerant or resistant cultivars.- Use disease-free seed or seed treated with hot water

HARVESTING MATURITY

• Crop is harvested when the heads attain their full size

• A fully developed head has a lighter shade of green

HARVESTING METHODS

• Harvested by hand with a knife

POST HARVEST HANDLING

• Harvested parts -removed from direct sunlight and transported to the packing shed as soon as possible

• Sorting and grading-The injured leaves should be removed.

• Packing- packed in plastic buckets and

wrap with polythene

Storage• Store under low temperature • Relative humidity -90 % to 95 % • Remove the discolored butt upon removal from

storage.

Transport• Use truck • Trucks should not overloaded on the bottom layers

of produce are crushed

USES

• The whole plant can be consumed cooked or raw as a salad

• Medicinal value -Preventing bladder, stomach, and lung cancer-Prevent stomach pain.-Prevent stomach and intestinal ulcers.-Reduce excess stomach acid.

IT’S A TREND

GROUP MEMBERS

• S.RISHIBAMATHANA UWU/EAG/11/0026• D.G.N.R.KARUNARATHNA UWU/EAG/11/0013

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