Cabbage : Brassica oleracea
to day let's learn about cabbage
Introduction
Cabbage originated from the South and
Western part of Europe. Annual world production is about 21million
tones of fresh heads from 1.1 million hectares. In Sri Lanka cabbage is
one of the important vegetable is cultivated in large extent mainly in
the up-country as a year round crop. In the low country it is only
during Maha season. Among the other vegetables cabbage is one of the
easiest crop to established and manage thus most of the people grow
this crop in their home gardens. It is also an important economical and
rotational crop in the major vegetable growing areas.
Nutritional value -(per 100 g of edible portion)
| Moisture (g) | 91.9 |
| Energy K cal | 27 |
| Protein (g) | 1.8 |
| Fats (g) | 0.1 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 4.6 |
| Calcium (mg) | 39 |
| Phosphorous (mg) | 44 |
| Iron (mg) | 0.8 |
| Carotene (mcg) | 1200 |
| Thiamin (mcg) | 60 |
| Riboflavin (mcg) | 90 |
| Niacin (mg) | 0.4 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 12.4 |
| Waste as purchased | 15% |
World status of the crop
| Area | Extent (ha) | Average yield (t/ha) |
| Europe | 364,000 | 26.35 |
| America | 226,000 | 28.10 |
| USSR | 257,000 | 22.20 |
| Asia | 914,000 | 18.03 |
Recommended Varieties
Varieties
Green Coronet, Exotic F1, Hercules,Gloria F
Head characteristics and Cultivated areas
| Variety | Head characteristics | Recommended areas |
| Green coronet | Firm Light green Oval shape |
Up country |
| Exotic F1 | Medium firm Flattened round Head weight |
Low country and mid country |
| Gloria F1 | Firm Flattened globe Head weight |
Up country |
| Hercules | Uniform blue green Very firm Semi globe Head weight |
Up country |
Nursery management
- 3 m x 1 m size raised bed (about 12 - 15 cm 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 acidic.
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First clean the field and break the large clods into small particles and make fine texture soil.
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Then prepare the bed.
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Apply paddy husk and straw layers on the surface of the bed and fire from the opposite of the wind direction to sterilize the bed.
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Apply 3 - 4 Kg of organic manure and mix well with soil.
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Put seeds about 1 cm deep on the lines that maintain 10 cm space with the lines.
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Apply fungicide to control Damping off and Anthracnose.
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Water to the bed and mulch it by using paddy straw.
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Then cover the beds by using polyethylene that should not be transparent to avoid sun rays and rain.
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Remove the mulch after 5 - 6 days.
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germination period will be 5 - 6 days.
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Remove the polyethylene cover 10 days before planting to hardening.
Climatic requirements
Optimum climatic conditions are
- 15 oC - 20 oC temperature
- Elevation is above 800 m.
Optimum soil conditions
- Well drained soils are suitable.
- pH range is 6.0- 7.0
| Seed rate | 200 - 250 g/ha |
| Planting spacing | 50 cm between rows and 40 cm within rows. (50 cm x 40 cm) 40 x 40 cm - for medium size heads |
| Crop age | 90-105 days |
Planting
- Up - country :
Healthy 30-35 days old seedlings should be transplanted on flat beds. - Mid country :
Seedlings may be planted on flat beds or ridges. - Plant one seedling per hill.
-
Crop Management
Fertilizer application
A) For Nuwara Elliya district.
| Time of application | UreaKg/ha | TripleSuper Phosphate (T.S.P)Kg/ha | Murate of Potash (M.O.P) kg/ha |
| Basel dressing | - | 275 | 75 |
| Top dressing 1 (after 2 weeks) | 110 | - | - |
| Top dressing 2 (after 2 weeks) | 110 | - | 75 |
| Top dressing 3(after 8 weeks) | 110 | - | - |
| The total | 330 | 275 | 150 |
B) For other districts
| Time of application | UreaKg/ha | Triple Super Phosphate (T.S.P) Kg/ha | Murate of Potash (M.O.P) kg/ha |
| Basel dressing | 110 | 275 | 75 |
| Top dressing 1 (after 3 weeks) | 110 | - | - |
| Top dressing 2 (after 6 weeks) | 110 | - | 75 |
| The total | 330 | 275 | 150 |
| Seed rate | 200 - 250 g/ha. |
| Thousand seed weight | 3.4 g - 4.5 g |
| Spacing | 50 cm between rows and 40 cm within rows. (50 cm x 40 cm) (40 cm x 40 cm) |
| Weed Control | Hand weeding 2 & 4 weeks after planting |
| Irrigation | Irrigate daily until plants are fully established, then every 2 days for 2 weeks, and every 4 days thereafter depending on rainfall. Mainlining proper soil moistuve level during head forming stage is necessary. |
| Pest & Disease Control | All pesticides application should cease 3 weeks before harvest |
| Weed control | Weeding manually at 2 and 4 week after planting. |
| Harvesting | a.) Harvesting can begin 90 - 110 days after transplanting and it depends on variety as well as environmental conditions. b.) Harvesting should be practiced in the morning and avoid heavy sun rays. c.) Harvest the head with 2 - 3 rolling leaves. d.) Potential yields 25 - 75 MT/ha, that depends on variety as well as location. |
| Pest | Damage symptoms | Management/Control |
| Black cut worm Agrotis spp. | The young plants are seen fed upon and cut at base. The leaves and developing cabbage heads are riddled with holes. The caterpillars hide during day time and come out to feed at night. It coils itself and feigns death when disturbed. | A) Non chemical control
- Profenophos 50% 1030 ml - Prothiofos 50% 1400 - 2100 ml |
| Cabbage caterpillars. Plutella Xylostella Hellula undalis Crocidolomia binotalis |
Leaves show feeding holes with or without webbing and soiled with excreta. | A) Non chemical control No none chemical control B) Non chemical control
EC 1100 - 1900 ml - Quinalphos 25% EC 1400 - 2100 ml - Profenophos 50% EC 1050 - 1400 ml |
Disease control
1. Club rot (Plasmodiophora byassicae)
a.) Symptoms
i. Swelling or malformations on the main laterals roots.
ii. Malformed root growth.
iii. Failure to form heads.
iv. Stunted plants
b) Control
i. Treat nursery beds and fields with Morut, a soil drench.
ii. Apply 2 - 4 t/ha of lime to raise soil pH
iii. Dip seedlings in a Mancoseb solution before transplanting
iv. Avoid continuous cultivation of crusifera crops.
2. Damping - off and seedling blight
a.) Causal organisms
i. Alternaria brassicicole
ii. Pythium spp.
iii. Fusariuum spp.
iv. Rhizoctonia solani
b) Control
i. Avoid heavy.
ii. Use recommended fungicide.
iii. Control root moisture.
3. Black rot (Xanthomonas campestris)
a.) Symptoms
i. Bleaching of veins along leaf margins, extending towards petioles and the
main stem.
ii. Yellowing, wilting and drying of leaves
iii. Defoliation.
b) Control
i. Destroy infected crop residues
ii. Use crop rotations with non - susceptible crops.
iii. Seed treatment - immerse seeds for 30 minutes in water heated to 50 0C.
4. Cabbage Yellows (Fusarium oxysporum)
a.) Symptoms
i. Foliage becomes pale yellow green shortly after transplanting.
ii. Older leaves curl downward, turn partially brown and shed.
iii. Main stem becomes barren of foliage and often curved to one side.
iv. Plants die before maturity.
Note: All Fungicide and Insecticide Applications Should Cease 3 Weeks before Harvest.
Problems with growing cabbages
| Symptoms | Possible causes | Controls & comments |
| Cracking of cabbage heads | Excess water taken up by plant causes head to burst, Variety | Harvest heads as soon as mature Sufficient irrigation Plant recommended varieties |
| Poor heading | Overcrowding Dry soil High temperatures Poor fertility |
Plant at recommended spacing Supply water Soil test |
| Brown spots on leaves | Mycosphearella brassicola leaf spot (fungus) | Use fungicides (Tebuconazole-0.35ml/l), plant healthy seedlings, proper spacing, remove crop debris, Water management, remove infected plant parts, |
| V-shaped lesions on leaf margin | Black rot (bacteria) Xanthomonas campestris | Plant healthy seedlings, proper spacing, remove crop debris, Water management, remove infected plants, Use copper fungicides to avoid further infection. |
| Gray, powdery growth on lower leaf margin | Downey mildew (Perenospora parasitica) | Use recommended fungicides (Tebuconazole-0.35ml/l), Avoid excess water and dense seeding |
| Cabbage yellowing | Dry soil Poor fertility Fusarium spp. (fungal disease) |
Water management Soil test Crop rotate, Burning of soil debris Drenching of Rec. fungicides (Formosalforte) |
| Brown colour spots with concentric curves | Cercospora leaf spots | Use healthy plant Proper spacing Remove infected plants Use fungicides(Tebuconazole-0.35ml/l) |
| Swelling or Malformations on the main root and laterals, Malformed root growth | Club root (Plasmodiophora brassicae) | Plant healthy seedling Remove infected plants Burning of crop debris Avoid continuous cropping of crucifers, Keep fields free of wild mustard. Addition to the chemical fertilizer use poultry manure (10t/ha) to minimize the infestation. Apply lime (2t/ha) |
| Pests Cabbage leaf eating caterpillar |
Plutella xylostella Plusia eriosoma Agrotis ipsilon Hellula unda;lis Crocidolomia binotalis Spodoptera litura |
Chlorofluazuron 50g/l EC(Atabron)-1.0ml/l
Profenophos 500g/l EC (Selecron) -2.3-3.1 ml/l Etofenprox 100g/l
EC(Trebon)-1.0ml/l Neem seed water extract (Neemzal)-20-40g/l Azadirachtin 50 g/l EC 2ml/l |
Harvesting & Post-harvest Technology
| Harvesting | 90-105 days after planting- Depend on the variety |
| Post - harvest |
|
| Average Yeild | 16 - 20 t/ac |
| Potential Yeild | 40-75 t/ac |
Peak production months
Maha - 15th February -30th April- Badulla and Nuwara Eliya, Kandy
Yala - 1st June - 30th September- Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Kandy
Economics & Marketing
Cost of production
Cultivated Extents and production
At present the crop is cultivated in
an extent of 3800ha annually and the total production is approximately
37500 mt. The average yield is 11.2 mt/ha. The major producing
districts are Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Kandy and Matale
| Year | Extent (ha) | Production (mt) |
| 1990 | 2432 | 36322 |
| 1991 | 2747 | 39053 |
| 1992 | 2792 | 45349 |
| 1993 | 2907 | 34023 |
| 1994 | 2026 | 34822 |
| 1995 | 3051 | 34475 |
| 1996 | 3242 | 40119 |
| 1997 | 3356 | 37513 |
| 1998 | 3523 | 47384 |
| 1999 | 3854 | 52436 |
Fresh Cabbage Export from Sri Lanka
| Year | Volume (kg) | Value (FOB) (Rs.Mn) |
| 1993 | 14,337 | 0.48 |
| 1994 | 21,334 | 0.70 |
| 1995 | 3571 | 0.11 |
| 1996 | 6033 | 0.25 |
| 1997 | 4,205 | 0.16 |
| 1998 | 8,98 | 0.69 |
| 1999 | 292 | 0.22 |
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