CABBAGE (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)

• Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. capitata
• Family: Cruciferae (Brassicaceae)
• Origin: Mediterranean region
• Chromosome Number: 2n = 18
• Fruit Type: Siliqua
• India’s Status:
  • Ranks 3rd globally in production
  • Covers ~4% of total area under vegetable cultivation
  • Hybrids occupy about 30% of cabbage production area

Climatic and Soil Requirements

• Climate: Cool-season crop; best suited for temperate to sub-tropical climates
• Optimum Temperature:
  • Vegetative growth: 15–20°C
  • Head formation: 10–20°C
  • Seed production: Requires temperate regions
• Soil: Well-drained, fertile loamy soil with pH 6.0–6.5
• Saline soil: Increases susceptibility to black leg disease

Special Characteristics

• Seed production: Occurs only in temperate areas
• Flowering Type: Bears seed in bicarpellary pod called siliqua
• Anticancer properties: Due to Indole-3-carbinol
• F1 hybrid popularity: Due to self-incompatibility and cytoplasmic male sterility
• Sauerkraut: Fermented product from white cabbage, used as anti-scurvy food

Growth and Development

• Germination Temp: 20–25°C
• Growth Arrests: Above 25°C
• Crop Duration:
  • Early: 60–80 days
  • Late: 100–120 days
• Seedling Raising: Thermocol plate sowing; transplanting done at 4–6 leaf stage
• High Temp. Tolerance: Spraying CCC or SADH helps in low temp. resistance

🔹 Nutrient Management

• Boron (B): Essential micronutrient. 50 ppm Boric Acid spray at flowering boosts seed yield
• Deficiency Symptoms: Cracked stems, hollow stems, poor head formation

🔹 Varieties

Introduced Varieties

1. Golden Acre – Early maturing
2. September – From Germany; suited for Nilgiris
3. Glory of Enkhuizen
4. August – Early maturing
5. Copenhagen Market – Early

Selection Varieties (Developed in India)

1. Pride of India – Early, round head
2. Pusa Ageti – First tropical variety; heat tolerant
3. Pusa Drumhead – F₁ hybrid (Japan), resistant to black leg
4. Pusa Mukta – Resistant to black rot
5. Pusa Synthetic – Composite variety
6. Pusa Sambandh – Synthetic, early maturing, high density planting

Private Sector Hybrids

• Questo
• Sree Ganesh Gol
• Uttam
• Bajrang
• Green Boy
• Green Express (suitable for hot weather, 30–35°C)
•  

Special Types

• Savoy Cabbage: B. oleracea var. sabauda
• Wild Cabbage: B. oleracea var. sylvestris

🔹 Plant Protection

Important Diseases

• Black Rot: Caused by Xanthomonas campestris. Resistant variety: Pusa Mukta
• Black Leg / Dry Rot: Caused by Phoma lingam. Resistant variety: Pusa Drumhead. More prevalent in saline soils

Major Insects

• Cabbage Looper
• Diamondback Moth (DBM)
• Aphids

🔹 Harvesting and Yield

• Head Maturity: Round heads mature earliest. Followed by conical heads
• Yield:
  • Open pollinated varieties: 300–400 q/ha
  • Hybrids: 500–600 q/ha

CAULIFLOWER (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)

Basic Information

• Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
• Family: Cruciferae (Brassicaceae)
• Origin: Mediterranean region
• Group: Cole crop
• Chromosome Number: 2n = 18
• Introduced in India by: Dr. Jenson from London in 1822

Climatic and Soil Requirements

• Thermo-sensitive crop
• Ideal soil pH: 5.5–6.5
• Irrigation: Requires 5–8 irrigations during crop growth

Temperature-sensitive growth stages:

• Yield:
  • Early types: 12–15 t/ha
  • Mid & late types: 20–30 t/ha
• Seed rate:
  • Early: 500–600 g/ha
  • Mid/Late: 350–400 g/ha

Unique Features

• Curd Development: Intermediate between vegetative and reproductive phase
• Blanching: Done to protect curds from yellowing due to sunlight. Arrests enzymatic activity
• Self-blanching: Present in most late (Snowball) types
• Scooping: Removal of central curd part to promote flower stalk initiation
• Best curds: White, compact, medium size
• Notable Disease Resistance:
  • Pusa Snowball K-2 – Sclerotia rot resistant
  • Pusa Snowball K-1 – Tolerant to black rot
  • Pusa Shubhra – Resistant to black rot, curd and inflorescence blight

🔹 Varieties

 Introduced Varieties; Improved Japanese

Selection Varieties

1. Pusa Himjyoti – Self-blanching; grown from April to July in hills
2. Pusa Snowball K-1 – Black rot tolerant
3. Pusa Ketki
4. Pusa Aghani
5. Pusa Deepali

Hybrid Varieties

1. Pusa Shubhra – Disease resistant
2. Pusa Deepali
3. Pusa Aghani

Synthetic Varieties

1. Pusa Early Synthetic
2. Pusa Synthetic
3. Pant Gobi-3

Season-wise Varieties

Memory Hooks for Exams

• Scooping = flower stalk initiation
• Blanching = white curd protection
• Pusa Himjyoti = Only variety suitable from April–July in hills
• Snowball group = Self-blanching habit
• Pusa Shubhra = Triple disease resistance
• Dr. Jenson = Introduced cauliflower to India (1822)

COLE CROPS (Minor Members)

I) KNOL-KHOL (Brassica oleracea gongylodes)

• Family: Cruciferae (Brassicaceae)
• Origin: Mediterranean Region
• Popular in India: Kashmir Valley
• Edible Part: Swollen stem
• Growth habit:
  • For seed production → Annual
  • For flowering & fruiting → Biennial

Sowing Time: Best time for planting: October

Varieties:

Introduced Varieties

1. White Vienna
2. Purple Vienna
3. King of North
4. Golithwhite (Sadashiv)

Key Points for Competitive Exams:

• Biennial nature for flowering and seed setting
• Early Purple Vienna is common (Verma & Pocha selection)
• Popular in hills and cooler regions

(II) BRUSSELS SPROUT (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)

Common Name: Mini Cabbage

• Family: Cruciferae
• Origin: Mediterranean Region
• Protein content: 4.4%
• Vitamin A: Fairly rich
• Nature: Biennial crop

Varieties:

1. Hilds Ideal
2. Rubine (F₁ hybrid)
3. Jade Cross
4. Amager Market

Note: Excessive Potash application → Bitterness in sprouts

(III) SPROUTING BROCCOLI (Brassica oleracea var. italica)

• Family: Cruciferae
• Origin: Mediterranean
• Rich in: Sulphoraphane – Anti-cancer compound
• Vitamin A:
  • 130× more than Cauliflower
  • 22× more than Cabbage
• Inflorescence: Cymose
• Order: Papaverales

Nature:

• Early types: Annual
• Late types: Biennial
• In dry conditions: Becomes fibrous

Disease: Excessive cole crop intake may cause goitre (due to glucosinolates)

Varieties:

1. Palam Samridhi – For subtropical regions
2. Decicco
3. Greenbud
4. Sparten Early
5. Green Mountain
6. Italian Green

Breeding Methods:

• Mass selection: For traits governed by few genes
• Backcrossing: To transfer resistance from dominant/recessive genes

(IV) KALE (Brassica oleracea var. acephala)

• Family: Cruciferae
• Origin: Mediterranean
• Growth Habit: Leafy non-heading vegetable
• Hardiness: Hardiest cole crop
• Popular in India: Jammu & Kashmir (Karamsag variety)

Varieties:

1. Dwarf Green
2. Dwarf Moss
3. Hamburger Market
4. Karamsag – Tall variety, popular in J&K

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