How Do I Harvest Cabbage

How Do I Harvest Cabbage

Botanical Name       :  Brassica oleracea L Var. capitata

Family                        : Cruciferae

Chromosome No.    : 2n = 18 

                                                                                          

 Cabbage (Basilica oleracea variety capitata) is another important vegetable of the cabbage family, which is also known as cauliflower. Vitamins A, B and C are found in abundance in cabbage, as well as mineral salts are also found in it. Cabbage production is 4 percent of the total vegetable production. India ranks second after China in the production of cabbage. It is now grown almost throughout the year. Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Punjab are the major cabbage producing states. Mainly white cabbage is grown in India, while red cabbage and savoy cabbage are not very popular in India, the heads of cabbage are flat and long oval. Varieties with solid, round tops are more preferred by consumers. Vegetable is also made from its soft leaves.

 How Do I Plant Cabbage

History and Origin – The origin place of cabbage is considered to be Western Europe and the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It has been grown as an important vegetable since ancient times. In Plato's book "Republican" cabbage vegetable was considered essential in vegetarian food. From this fact we can conclude that it was a favorite vegetable of the Romans. Egyptians used to worship it. It is said that it arrived in India with 'Vasco da Gama'. It was first cultivated on the Malabar coast and from there it gradually spread throughout India. It is said that cabbage arrived in the kitchen gardens of European countries in the ninth century and it entered America in the seventeenth century.

Utility - Cabbage is used in the form of salad, pickle, cooked vegetable and curry. It is also used as a dried vegetable. Cabbage vegetable helps in digestion.

Nutritive value - The food value of cabbage is shown in the table—

(Nutrition Value of Cabbage per 100 gm) 

Moisture                       : 91.90 g Protein                          : 1.80 g Fat                                 : 0.10 g Minerals.                       : 0.60 g Fiber                              : 1.00 g Other Carbohydrates  : 4.60 g Calcium                         : 39.00 mg Magnesium                   : 10.00 mg Riboflavin                     : 0.03 mg Vitamin C                     : 124.00 mg Vitamin A                     : 20.00 IU Sodium                          : 14.10 mg Potassium                      : 114.00 mg Copper                          : 0.08 mg Phosphorus                  : 4.400 mg Iron                               : 0.8 mg Sulphur                         : 67.0 mg Oxalic Acid                   : 3.0 mg Thiamine                      : 0.07 mg Nicotinic Acid              : 0.4 mg Calories                        : 27.0

 

Climate - Since cabbage is a cool season crop, it grows best in relatively cool humid climate. It can grow in extreme cold and frost conditions as compared to cauliflower. Its optimum germination is at 12.8-15.6°C soil temperature. When the temperature rises above 25°C most cabbage plants stop growing, although now the temperature barrier has been removed due to the development of hybrid varieties and tropical lines/hybrids to tolerate high temperatures.

 How Do You Grow Cabbage

Soil - Cabbage can be grown in a wide range of soils. High yield can be obtained from its late sown crop in clay loam or silt. It does not grow well in highly acidic soils. For its successful production, pH values between 5.5 and 6.5 are considered best. If the soil is very acidic, it can be improved by adding lime and cabbage can be cultivated in it.

Improved Varieties

Many improved varieties of cabbage are available, so only its improved varieties should be grown. Improved varieties of cabbage are mentioned below-

Copenhagen Market – This is an early variety which gets ready in 75-80 days, its heads are round, solid, which have some outer leaves. Their core is small and large in size. Its stem is small and the leaves are light green in colour.

Drum Head Savoy – The leaves of this variety are dark green and wrinkled. Its quality is excellent but it is not grown on a commercial level in our country because consumers do not like it.

Golden Acre – This variety has been prepared from the selection of Copenhagen Market. Its heads are round and small. Each head weighs 1.0-1.5 kg and has some outer leaves. This variety gets ready in 60-65 days.

Pride of India – This is an early round top variety which gets ready in 70-75 days. Its heads are solid and medium sized. Each head weighs 1.0-1.5 kg.

Pusa Drumhead – The heads of this variety are uniform, solid, with small frame and short stem. Each head weighs 1.5-2.0 kg and gives a yield of 495-540 quintals per hectare. This variety is resistant to black leg or dry rot. This variety is also good for growing in hilly areas.

Pusa Mukta – The heads of this variety are flat round, medium sized and the outer leaves are light green in colour. This is a resistant variety to black rot disease.

Red Cabbage - The leaves of this variety are purple red in colour, its yield is low. Generally round varieties are early maturing, while angular varieties are maturing after round varieties. Drumhead varieties with flat top and varieties with savoy leaves are late maturing.

         How To Plant A Cabbage Plant 

Hybrid Varieties

Nowadays hybrid varieties of cabbage are grown in 30 percent area. Most of the hybrid varieties are imported and sold under different brand names. Some varieties have been identified for release, which are mentioned below-

Shri Ganesh Gol (Mahico) - The heads of this variety are round, solid and their storage capacity is good. It gives 30-35 tonnes yield per hectare.

Nath Lakshmi 401 - The heads of this variety are solid with equal size, which have good storage capacity. 50-75 tonnes yield is obtained per hectare.

Beejo Sheetal 32 - This is a variety that gives 70-80 tonnes yield per hectare.

Green Express and Green Boe - Both these varieties are marketed by the Indian Seed Corporation.

September - This is a high yielding early variety, which gets ready in 110 days. It is recommended to be grown in Nilgiri hills. Its leaves are blue-green in colour.

Synthetic variety

Pusa Sambandh - This variety has been developed by the local centre of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Katrine, Himachal Pradesh. It is an early variety and is an excellent variety for dense planting. Its tops are solid and round. This variety can be grown in different areas.

Preparation of land - Do the first plowing with a soil turning plow. After this, do 2-3 plowings with a cultivator or harrow, so that the hard layer below the soil breaks or run the sub-soiler once or twice. After every plowing, do a leveling, so that the soil becomes friable.

Manure and fertilizers - Different recommendations of manure and fertilizers are made for cabbage crop, which depend on the place, agro-climate and varieties, which are mentioned below -

Place	Quantity of Fertilizers (kg/hectare)			Special Feature
	N	P	K
Jabalpur	150	80	50	To get maximum yield
Hisar	60	80	50
Faizabad	120	80	50
Faizabad	180	80	50
Sabour	180	80	50
Jorhat	180	80	50

     How To Plant And Grow Cabbage

In New Delhi, it is recommended to use 160 kg nitrogen, 90 kg phosphorus along with 15 tons of cow dung manure to get maximum yield from the variety called Golden Acre, while in Caterina, 250 kg nitrogen, 120 kg phosphorus and 100 kg potash are recommended for good seed production of the same variety.

Sowing - Cabbage is propagated by seeds. The seeds are first sown in the nursery. Since it is a cold season crop, its seeds are sown in the nursery at different times, which are as follows-

Early crop  -  August

Main crop -  September

Late crop -   October

Cabbage seedlings are prepared in the same way as cauliflower. The plants become ready for transplanting in 4-6 weeks. 500-750 grams of seed is required for plants per hectare.

Transplantation - Early varieties are planted at a distance of 45 cm x 60-70 cm, while the main crop is planted at a distance of 45 cm x 45-60 cm.

Irrigation - First irrigation should be done after transplantation. For good top development, moisture should remain in the soil. But deep irrigation should not be done at the time of top formation.

Weed control - It is natural for weeds to grow with cabbage crop because it is grown at a considerable distance and manure and fertilizers are also given in abundance. Weeds take moisture and nutrients from the soil and also provide shelter to insects and diseases, so it is very important to control them. For which weeding and herbicides can be used. For weed control, any one of the following herbicides can be used before planting-

         How To Sow Cabbage

Trifluralin - 1 kg/ha

Fluchloralin -   1/2 kg/ha

Nitrofen -  2 kg/ha

Alachlor -   0.2 kg/ha

Butachlor -  2 kg/ha

Crop Protection

Insects

Diamond Backmoth (Pilurella axilostella) - This is a dangerous insect, due to which the leaves fall due to which the food production of leaves is hindered, the development and growth of the plant is adversely affected.

Control- (I) Mustard should be grown as a trap crop along with the crop.

(ii) 4% extract of Neem Kernel should be sprayed.

Gram Caterpillar (Helicoverpa armogenra) - The larvae of this insect enter the tops by making holes, due to which they are not edible.

Control - (i) Spray 0.1% endosulfan to control small larvae.

(ii) Catch the big larvae by hand and destroy them.

Diseases

Damping off - This disease is caused by Rhizoctonia solani, Phytophthora and Pythium species. This disease spreads in the nursery. The disease spreads at the base of the stem or at the soil level. The plant tissues become waterlogged and fall off quickly. Sometimes the seeds have to be sown again in the nursery. The pathogens spread before or after germination.

Control-

- The nursery soil should be thoroughly moistened with formalin solution 20 days before sowing the seeds.

- Always treat the seeds with hot water before sowing.

- Before sowing the seeds, treat them with a solution of Carbendazim (0.2%).

- Before the outbreak of the disease, spray a solution of Mancozeb (0.25%).

- Make a nursery at a new place to prepare seedlings every year.

How Do I Harvest Cabbage

Downy Mildew - This disease is caused by a fungus called 'Pernospora parasitica'. Due to this disease, dark brown sunken spots are formed on the stem. Purple brown spots are formed on the lower surface of the leaves.

Control-

- Seeds should be treated with hot water before sowing.

- Then treat the seeds with 0.3% thiram.

- Do not allow weeds to grow in the field.

- Follow proper crop rotation.

Harvesting- Timely harvesting of cabbage is very important. Hence, they should be harvested when their heads are fully developed because later they burst or become loose. In the plains, cabbage is harvested from December to April. Early varieties are ready for harvesting after 60-80 days of planting, while late varieties are ready for harvesting after 100-120 days.

Yield - The yield of cabbage depends on many factors, the main ones being the fertility of the soil, the variety grown, the climate and crop care. In northern India, early varieties yield 33-45 tonnes per hectare, which is 25% less than the yield of the southern regions. Because the climate there is mild and short-duration varieties are grown. Hybrid varieties yield 70-80 tones per hectare.