CAULIFLOWER
Brassica oleracea var. Botrytis
family:Brassicaceae
Origin: Mediterranean region –Cyperus
2n=2X=18
INTRODUCTION:
Ø The name cauliflower was originated from Latin word-
‘Caulis’-cabbage &‘Floris’-flower.
Ø Thermosensitive crop
Ø Edible part of cauliflower is known as “curds”
Ø Cauliflower curd is a prefloral fleshy apical
meristem.
Ø Cauliflower was introduced to India in 1822 by Dr.
Jemson.
Ø India is the largest producer of cauliflower in the
world.
Ø Highest productivity: West Bengal.
Ø National average productivity: 19.6 Mt/ha.
Ø Major cauliflower growing states: West Bengal >
Bihar > Maharastra.
Ø A
group of highly differentiated plants originated from a single wild ancestor Brassica
oleracea var. oleracea (sylvestris), commonly known as wild
cabbage.
Ø Cauliflower has descended through mutation and
selection from wild cabbage
Ø Ancestor of cauliflower: Brassica cretica
Ø Cauliflower is a monogenomic species whose genomic
constitution is 'CC‘
Ø Cauliflower curd formation is due to 2 mutant genes: BoAPI-a
and BoCa-1-1
Ø Orange cauliflower: Rich in ẞ-carotene ("Or'
gene)
ü Major difference between cauliflower and broccoli is
cauliflower lack of axillary branching habit
ü Type of inflorescence: Racemose
ü Early Indian Cauliflower and winter cauliflower (Europe)
shows high level of self-incompatibility
ü Early cauliflower and Sprouting Broccoli are annual in
nature
ü Late type-Snowball (self-blanching growth habit)
v Cauliflower
cultivars grown in India can be classified in two broad groups:
1)Indian Cauliflower/tropical/hot
weather/heat tolerant
2)European types/Early temperate
type/Snowball/late
v The present day Indian Cauliflower developed as
results of intercrossing between European and Cornish types
v Physiologically
different from other cole crops as possesses an intermediate stage of curding
between the vegetative and generative phase.
USES
v These
are eaten in the raw state as well as cooked.
v Rich
source of vitamin A and C. Also, contains minerals including P, K, Ca, Na and
Fe.
v Some
protective properties against human bowl cancer.
v Used
against ailments such as gout, diarrhea, colic trouble, stomach trouble,
deafness and headache.
v Leaves
are used to cover wounds and ulcers and also recommended against a hangover.
v Cabbage
juice is said to be a remedy against poisonous mushrooms and also used as a
gargle against hoarseness.
SOIL
Ø Grown
in all types of soils with good fertility and good water regime.
Ø Mid
season and late crop will grow very well in medium, medium heavy and heavy
soils.
Ø A
light to light medium soil should be preferred for early crop to have easy
drainage in rainy season.
Ø Water
stagnation checks the growth.
Ø Prefers
pH ranging from 6 to 6.5.
Ø Deficiency
symptoms of Mg may quickly appear in acidic soils while pH higher than 7 reduce
availability of B causing Browning
CLIMATE
Ø Late
group cultivars require 15-20oC for optimum growth but the same
temperature would cause curd formation in the early cultivars.
Ø Therefore,
when tropical cultivars are grown at lower temperature, they form button and
show severe riceyness to typical green bud formation.
Ø Temperature
should not fluctuate too much during curd initiation phase, otherwise curd
quality deteriorates.
Conclusion:
Temperature
higher or lower than optimum for curding results in physiological disorders
like riceyness, leafyness, blindness, loose and yellow curd.
VARIETIES:-
EARLY KUNWARI
·
Recommended
for Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi. Very early variety.
·
Curds
hemispherical with even surface, ready for harvesting from mid october.
·
September
to mid October. Average yield is 8 t/ha.
Pusa Deepali
·
Developed
through inbreeding from the local material at IARI, New Delhi and Recommended
for Northern India-particularly Delhi and Punjab.
·
Early
maturing variety, curds compact,
·
self-blanching, white, medium sized and almost free from riceyness.
·
Curds
ready for harvest in late October. Average yield is 12 t/ha.
·
Plants
are medium tall. Leaves are erect, short, green and waxy.
·
It
is recommended for sowing from May end to early June. Curds are ready in the
October when the average temperature is around 20-25oC.
PUSA BETA KESAR (1st
biofortified cauliflower)
Ø This is the
first ever indigenously bred bio-fortified
beta carotene (800 – 1000 µg/100 g) rich
cauliflower variety, an attempt to tackle beta carotene deficiency related
malnutrition problem in India
Ø Its curds are orange coloured, compact and very
attractive.
Ø It is suitable for September – January growing period.
Ø Curd weights about 1.250kg.
PUSA SNOWBALL -1
ü Late maturing variety.
ü Curds very compact, medium in size and snow white in
colour.
ü Ready for harvesting from January to April.
ü Average yield is 25-30 t/ha.
ü Susceptible to black rot.
Pusa Katki
ü This is one of the earliest variety released from
IARI, New Delhi, which maturing is in October-November and having medium
plants, bluish green and waxy leaves.
ü It is suitable for sowing in the middle of May.
ü Late planting beyond middle of August does not give
good size curds
Pusa Early Synthetic
ü It is released in 1990 by IARI, New Delhi. Plants are
erect with bluish green leaves.
ü Curd is small to medium in size, flat, creamy white
and compact.
ü It is suitable for early cultivation in northern and
southern states.
ü The average yield is 117 q/ha.(11tonnes).
ü It is resistant to riceyness.
Pant Shubhra
ü Recommended for cultivation in Northern India. Early
growing variety.
ü Curds are compact, slightly conical and creamish
white. Ready for harvest in November.
ü Average yield is 20 t/ha.
PUSA HIM JYOTI
ü It is released from IARI, New Delhi and suitable for
transplanting in hill tract in the month May and August.
ü Plant is straight with bluish green leaves.
ü Curd is quietly white, solid and round.
ü It is ready in 30 days after transplanting for
harvesting.
ü Yield of this variety is 160 q/ha.
OOTY 1
ü Released during 1998.
ü Selection from OP progenies of local types.
ü Yield: 46.4 t/ha.
ü Duration: 120 days.
ü Commercial seed production is possible in the Nilgiri
hills.
IMPROVED JAPANESE
ü It is an introduction from Israel.
ü Plants are erect Leaves are bluish green.
ü It can not tolerate hot season.
ü It is
recommended for sowing in north Indian plains
from July end to early August.
ü Curds are compact, white and maturing in late November
to mid-December at 16-20oC.
Punjab Giant-26
ü Main season variety. Curds solid, white, medium-sized.
ü Ready for harvesting from mid November to December.
ü Average yield is 17t/ha.
Punjab Giant-35
ü Main season variety. Curds white, compact medium sized.
ü Ready for harvesting from mid November to December.
ü Average yield is 17 t/ha.
Pant Gobhi-2
ü Early maturing variety. Curds compact, composite and
creamy white.
ü Curds ready for harvesting from November to December.
ü Average yield is
12 t/ha.
ü Released by GB Pant University of Agriculture and
Technology,Pantnagar.
Pant Gobhi-3
ü Early maturing variety. Curds medium sized and solid
white.
ü Curds ready for harvest from October.
ü Average yield is 10 t/ha.
HISAR-1
ü It suitable for mid late season under Haryana
conditions.
ü It bears medium to large size white heads.
ü It yields250 q/ha.
Dania
Kalimpong
ü It is developed from IARI, Regional Station, and
Kalimpong for eastern hilly area.
ü Late season variety.
ü Curds are medium-large, compact, attractive and white.
ü Less sensitive to fluctuations of environment.
ü Ready for harvesting from January to April.
ü This variety is tolerant to the stress conditions.
ü Average yield is 25-30 t/ha
Seed rate:
Ø 375 g/ha seeds are required.
Ø For Hybrid 250g/ha.
Ø For Early crop:
500-600 g/ha.
Ø Mid and late crops: 350-400 g/ha.
Seed
treatment
Ø 25g of Azospirillum is required for the seed treatment
of 250g cauliflower seeds.
ü Planting
of over aged seedlings, which do not get sufficient time to initiate growth
before transformation to curding.
ü Selection
of wrong cultivars means planting early variety late
ü Root
injury by insects or diseases.
PHYSIOLOGICAL
DISORDERS
1.BUTTONING
Ø It
means development of small curds or buttons.
Ø The
general basis is that any check in the vegetative growth of the seedlings may
induce buttoning
Reason:
ü Planting
of over aged seedlings, which do not get sufficient time to initiate growth
before transformation to curding.
ü Selection
of wrong cultivars means planting early variety late
ü Root
injury by insects or diseases.
2.RICEYNESS
ü A
premature initiation of floral buds or elongation of peduncle stalk of
inflorescence is characterized by riceyness.
ü The
curds are considered to be of poor quality for marketing
Reason:
Ø Temperature
higher or lower than the optimum required for curding in a particular cultivar
Ø High
N and high temperature favour rapid growth and development of curd also causes
riceyness
Management:
Ø Proper
management of soil moisture and fertility during the development of head or
curd.
3. Fuzzyness
ü It is the elongation of pedicels of the individual
flower.
ü Almost all the prefloral bud which develops
precociously on the curd surface give the fuzzy appearance.
Possible
Reasons
ü Temperature
higher or lower than the optimum required for curding in a particular cultivar
ü High
N and high temperature favour rapid growth and development of curd also causes
riceyness
Management
ü Proper management of soil moisture and fertility
during the development of head or curd.
4.BLINDNESS:
ü Blind
plants are those which are without terminal bud.
ü The
leaves of the blind plants are large, thick, leathery and dark green.
Possible
Reason:
ü Poor
fertility of the soil.
ü Damage
by insects, diseases etc.
ü Genetic
irregularity.
ü Cold
temperature.
ü Damage
to the terminal portion during handling at the time of planting
Management:
Ø Healthy and vigorous seedlings with terminal portion
intact should be planted.
5.BRACTING:
ü The
bracts are underneath the prefloral meristem which corresponds to axillary
buds.
ü These
bracts or leaves come out of the curd resulted in poor quality of curds for
marketing as they turn green or purple in colour on receiving the direct
sunlight at the surface of the curd.
Possible
Reason:
Ø Temperature higher than the optimum during curding
6.PURPLE
COLOURING:
Ø Some
time various pigmentations are occurred on the curd
Possible Reason:
Ø Fluctuation
in temperature.
7.WHIP
TAIL:
w It
is caused by the deficiency of Molybdenum (Mo).
w Young
plants become chlorotic and turn white particularly along the leaf margins.
w They
also become cupped and wither and eventually the leaf dies and the growing
point also collapses.
w In
older plants, the lamina of the newly formed leaves is irregular in shape,
frequently consisting of only a large bare midrib and hence the common name “Whip
tail”.
Management:
Ø Application of Mo @ 1kg/ha.
8.BROWNING (RED OR BROWN ROT) :
ü It
is caused by boron deficiency.
ü Smaller
water soaked areas in the centre of the curd is the first sign of appearance.
ü In
later stages, the stem become hollow with water soaked tissues surrounding the
walls of the cavity.
ü In
more advance stages, a pinkish or rusty brown area develops on the surface of
the curd and hence is known as red or brown rot.
Managament:
Ø Application of borax @20kg/ha
9.BLACKSPECK
ü A
physiological disorder in cauliflower common with the popular snowball
cultivar.
ü Blackspeck
could be due to nutrient imbalance.
ü Tip
burn and internal browning in cabbage and Chinese cabbage is due to the
inadequate transport of calcium to rapidly growing tissues.
Management:
Ø Foliar
spray, with calcium nitrate may control the problem or alternatively by a reduction
in nitrogen fertilizer
CAULIFLOWER DISEASES
Clubroot: Plasmodiophora brassicae
Symptoms:
Stunting and yellowing of plants
Leaves become yellowish and wilt on hot
days.
Club like swelling of root and root lets
Management
Soil fumigation with Methly bromide
1kg/10m 2 followed by covering with plastic film.
Seed treatment with Captan/Thiram 4g/kg.
Damping off: Pythium
debaryanuM
Symptoms
Black and reddish brown lesion on the
collar region.
Finally infected seedling are toppled on
the ground surface.
Management
Seed treatment with Captan/Thiram 4g/kg.
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