Package of practices on Cauliflower

1. Introduction:

Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea) is one of the most important vegetable crops of India.
The edible part of cauliflower is known as curd, which consists of a shoot system with short
internodes, branches apices and bracts. The edible portion of this vegetable is approximately
45 per cent of the vegetable as purchased. It has high quality of proteins and peculiar in
stability of vitamin C after cooking. It is rich in minerals such as potassium, sodium, iron,
phosphorus, calcium, magnesium etc. Some of the states that produce large quantities of
cauliflower are Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar,
Gujarat, Maharashtra, Odisha and Karnataka.

2. Land selection and preparation:

Cauliflower can be grown in all types of soil with good fertility and good regime. In light
soil, the plants are most sensitive to drought and therefore, adequate moisture supply is
important. For early crops, the light soils are preferred, while, loamy and clay loam soils are
more suitable for mid season and late maturing types. Cauliflower is relatively more sensitive
to deficiency of boron and molybdenum, and it has high requirement of magnesium. The
deficiency of magnesium may quickly appears in acid soils. High pH reduces the availability
of boron.
Preparation of Land

Bring the soil to fine tilth and pits should be taken at a spacing of 45 cm either way in hills.
Form ridges and furrows at 60 cm in plains. The planting distance may vary according to the
variety, climate and soil. Normally, the seedlings of early varieties are planted to 60 cm row
to row and 30-45 cm plant to plant distance. The main season and late varieties are planted at
spacing of 60-75 cm between rows and 45-60 cm between plants.

3. Season and Climate

The cauliflower has a wide range in adaptation to diverse climatic conditions, prevailing in
temperate subtropics and tropical parts. The optimum temperature for growth of young plants
is around 23oC, but in later stages 17-20oC are most favourable. The tropical cultivars show
growth even at 35oC. In temperate regions, the growth of young seedlings may be ceased,
when temperatures are slightly about 0oC, while, the early cultivars grown in plains of north
India and other tropical parts can grow even at 35oC or still higher temperature. Lower
temperatures ranging from 5oC to 28-30oC are needed for transition from vegetative to
curding phase. The temperature higher or lower than the optimum required for curd formation
of the cultivars may cause physiological disorder viz. riceyness, leafy curd and blindness.

3.1 Sowing Time

The optimum time of seed sowing in the nursery varies greatly depending upon climate,
varieties and their temperature requirement for curd formation. The nursery for mid season
crop can be grown successfully by protection of beds from heavy rains during July-August is
essential. The seedlings for mid late and late crop can be conveniently raised, because of
favourable temperature conditions.

4. Selection/ variety/planting material/nursery raising

4.1 Varieties:
The varieties can be grouped as early, mid early, mid late and late season varieties on the
basis of maturity groups.
Early varieties
Early Kunwari
Pusa Early Synthetic
Pant Gobhi 3
Pusa Deepali
Pant Gobhi 2.
Mid Early Varieties
Improved Japanese
Pusa Hybrid- 2
Pusa Sharad
Pant Gobhi- 4
Mid Late Varieties:
Pusa Synthetic
Pusa Shubhra
Pusa Himjyoti
Punjab Giant 35
Late Varieties:
Pusa snowball-1
Pusa snowball K
For cultivation of cauliflower in one acre, 80-150 g seed would be needed.
4.1 Nursery raising:
 For raising nursery, the nursery beds should be prepared by addition of well rotten
farmyard manure or compost @ 10 kg/m2. The soil of the beds is made friable by through
digging / ploughing and harrowing and breaking the clods.
 The sterilization of soil by drenching, the nursery beds with formalin @ 1:49, about 15-20
days before seed sowing is beneficial for preventing the attack of the fungal diseases.
 After drenching, the beds should be kept covered with polythene for a week and then beds
are again dug and left open for 5-6 days. So that, there is no injurious effect of formalin to
the seeds.
 The nursery must be raised about 15 cm high from ground surface for efficient drainage.
 The sowing should be done in shallow furrows at 10 cm apart. The depth of furrows may
be 1.5-2 cm. After sowing the seed, the furrows are covered with a mixture of sieved fine
manure and soil and the beds are gently levelled at the surface.
 The beds should be covered with a proper mulching material like dry cane grass or
polythene before watering. In the initial stage, water is applied with a water cane over the
grass mulch but in later stage when plants are 15-20 days, old watering through furrows
may be done. However, the grass cover or polythene should be removed as soon the
emergence of seed sprouts.
 The beds should also be covered and shaded for protection against hot sunshine and rains
especially in early season nursery. Weeding and intercultural of nursery beds should be
regularly done for raising healthy seedlings.
 Generally, the seedlings are ready for transplanting in 3-6 weeks after seed sowing,
depending upon variety, temperature and soil fertility. In case of early crop, 5-6 weeks old
seedlings have better establishment and less mortality in the field, while, in mid-season
and late varieties 3-4 weeks old seedlings may be transplanted.

Protray:

 The Protrays of 98 cells are ideal for cauliflower seedling production. Around
115 protrays are required for of 11,333 seedlings required for one hectare at
spacing of 60 x 45 x 45 cm in three rows planting.
5. Water Management
First irrigation is given just after transplanting. Further irrigation will depend upon
weather, soil type and variety. However, regular maintenance of optimum moisture supply is
essential during both growth and curd development stage. For early and mid season crop,
usually, lesser number of irrigation is needed because of rains. In areas having rainfall, the
planting is done on ridges, furrow irrigation should be given.

6. Integrated Nutrient Management:

Nutrient requirement of cauliflower crop is quit high and the application of
fertilizers and organic manures is considered essential to obtain economic and high yields. In
light soils and places where organic manures are not easily available, green manuring is
beneficial. The optimum dose of fertilizer application varies greatly depending upon the soil
type, soil fertility, climate, crop rotation, variety, length of growing season and moisture
supply.
6.1) Organic fertilizers:
 10-20 tons of FYM

 Green leaf manure at the time of ploughing

6.2) Bio fertilizers:

 Bio fertilizers not only played an important role in maintaining good health of the
plants, but also served as a natural source of plant nutrient to increase productivity.
 Some of the bio fertilizers are Pseudomonas, Trichoderma, Phosphate solubilizing
bacteria (PSB) are applied at 5kg per acre along with FYM at the time of land
preparation.

6.3) Chemical and speciality fertilizers:

The requirement of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium vary with the soil type, its
nutrient status, variety, cropping pattern and sources of nutrients. It is reported that proper
soil fertility management in cauliflower, alone accounts for 20.7% of all the factors
contributing yield. Generally 20-30 tonnes of FYM is recommended for cauliflower
cultivation.
 FYM Speaciality fertilizers
Basal (tons) DAP 10:26:26 Ammoni DNP- PH-50 Amino-G Micronutrients
Dose um G(Bags) Grade II
sulphate
10-20 3bags 2bags 1bags 3-4bags 2 buckets 2 buckets -
@ 30 - 2bags 1bag 1bag 3bags 2 buckets 2 buckets 10kg
days

6.4) Foliar application:

a) Bio- Max: Dissolve 3 ml of “Bio Max and 5gms of 19:19:19 in 1 liter of water. First
spray after 20days o planting and remaining sprays at 15-20 days interval.
b) Total: Dissolve 5 g of “Total” in every litre of water or 1kg in 200 litres of water and
spray on both surfaces of leaves. Repeat spray at monthly interval.
c) Drip application: Zen Bio Fertilizer, Bumper crop kit, Bio NPK kit whenever
required as per the suggestion of expert.
7. Integrated Pest and Disease management:
 Diamond Back Moth, Plutella xylostella
Symptoms and damage
The larva is small and green in colour. It feed on leaves and makes bite holes, causes
excessive defoliation, mostly on the growing part. Severe attacks could abort head formation.
It may cause yield up to 80 to 90 per cent especially hot periods.
Management
 Planting Indian mustard as trap crop.
 Application of 4 % Neem Seed Kernel Extract at head initiation stage i.e 17 to 28
days after planting
 Spray of contact insecticides like Quinalphos or Chlorpyriphos 0.05% and emimectin
benzoate at 1gm/litre of water

Diseases:

Damping off: It is common problem in seedlings in the nursery beds due to fungus pythium
spp. The base of young seedlings above the soil level attacked by the fungus which become
water soaked and collapse rapidly causing seedling to topple and die.

Correction measure: drench soil with 25ml to 30 ml/ lit formaldehyde and cover the nursery
about 56 hours or drancing with captan @2-3 g/l of water @5 liter/m2.seed treatment with
captan and apron 35 @ 2gm/kg seed.
  Downey mildew: This disease cause serious damage in all stage of plant growth. It
is caused by the fungus pernospora parasitica.the disease is caracterised by
appearance of purpulish brown spots on under surface of leaves.

Correction measure: Sprey ridomil MZ 72 @0.5g/lit of water at 10-15 days interval.or with
dithane M 45 @ 15-2 g/lit of water

 Alternaria leaf and pod spot: Cause due to Alternaria brassicae and A. brassicola.
Which affect mostly the seed crop. The leaf spot by Alternaria brassicae appear as a
small dark coloured circuler lesion upto one centimeter diameater.the enlargement of
spot may be in the concentric circles. The spots caused by Alternaria brassicae is
similer to A. Brassicola Except that they remain small and lite couloured.

Correction measure: 2-4 spreys of dithane M 45 , difolatan 80 or daconil (kavach)@ 1.5-

2gm/lit of waater at 15 days interval
  Black rot: Due to xanthomonas campestris pv. Campestris . Infection of leaves
occur through water pores at the leaf margins or wound caused by chewing insects.
Chlorosis with V shaped area towards mid rib observed.veins show brown or black
discolouration.

Correction measure: HOT WATER treatment for 30 min at 5o`c temprature followed by
30 minute dip in 100 ppm streptocycline. Antibiotic like agrimycin,streptocycline also found
effective

7.1 Physiological Disorders

Cauliflower suffers from a number of physiological disorders, which manifest in different
type of disease syndromes. . Important physiological disorders, affecting cauliflower are
described below:
a. Riceyness: It manifests in the elongation on peduncle wearing flower buds, rendering
curds, granular, loose and somewhat velvety. A premature initiation of floral bud is
characterized by riceyness in cauliflower and is considered to be of poor quality for
marketing.
 It can be controlled by cultivation of genetically pure seed and appropriate
varieties with recommended cultural practices.
b. Fuzziness: It appears as the flower pedicels of velvety curds elongate. The anomaly is
both hereditary and non-hereditary. Cultivation of cauliflower, out of their normal
season encourages fuzziness.
 Sowing good quality seed in right season under proper cultural practices,
minimized fuzziness.

c. Leafiness: This disorder is commonly seen by formation of small thin leaves from the
curd which reduces quality of curd. Extremely small green leaves appear in between
the curd segment due to inheritable or non-heritable factors. Prevalence of high
temperatures during curding phase aggravates leafiness. Certain varieties are more
sensitive to leafiness or bracketing than other.
 It can be controlled by selection of varieties according to their adaptability.

d. Whiptail: Deficiency of molybdenum causes ‘whiptail’ syndrome, especially, in

highly acidic soils. Because high manganese concentrations in such soils hinder the
uptake of molybdenum which seldom occurs when the soil pH is 5.5 or higher. The
young cauliflower plants become chlorotic and may turn white, particularly along the
leaf margins. They also become cupped and wither and extent of deficiency. In older
 plant, the lamina of the newly formed leaves are irregular in shape, frequently,
consisting of only a large bare midribs and hence, the common name “whiptail”.
 It can be corrected by application of lime or dolomite limestone to raise the soil
pH up to 6.5 or higher. Sodium or Ammonium molybdate at the rate of 1-2 kg/ha
as soil application can also control “whiptail” of cauliflower.

e. Buttoning: Development of small curds with inadequate foliage in cauliflower is

known as buttoning. It is also referred to as premature heading. The leaves are so
small that cannot cover the formed head. Causes of buttoning are
a. Transplanting of more than 6 week-old seedlings.
b. Planting as early variety in late vice versa leads buttoning.
c. Hot and dry weather is unfavourable for vegetative growth of plants, but
favourable for inducing curd formation and inhibits further enlargement.
Curds remain very small in size like buttons.
d. When soil moisture becomes limiting factor.
e. Transplanting of seedlings, obtained from poorly managed nursery bed.
 f. Hollow Stem: It may be due to boron deficiency and higher supply of nitrogen
nutrition. Hollowness caused by boron may be identified by water soaked and
discoloured tissue, whereas, hollowness caused by nitrogen, the stem is perfectively
clear while with no sign of disintegration.
 It can be controlled by spraying of borax at 0.1 to 0.3 or soil application of borax
@ 15-20 kg/ha. If hollow stem is used by boron deficiency. However, for normal
type of hollowness, spacing the plants closer together or by reducing the fertilizer
doses.

7. Intercultural operations:
The intercultural operations should be done regularly to keep the crop free from
weeds and aeration of the root system. Hoeing should not be deep to avoid injury to the roots.
Usually, in medium heavy and clay soils, there are crust penetration in root system are
hindered, which affect plant growth.
During rainy season, the roots of plants in ridge planting maybe exposed, which
requires adequate earthing. When earthing or ridging is done, the side dressing of nitrogenous
fertilizer should also be done for healthy growth of the crop. In commercial weed control,
basalin @ 2-3 kg a.i/ha + 1.2 hand weeding or tenoran 50 WP @ 1 kg a.i. /ha can be used.
In cauliflower, for getting quality curd, blanching is an important operation to protect the
curds from yellowing due to direct exposure to sum. The curds may also loose some of their
flavour, because of this exposure. This problem generally occurs in such varieties of early
and mid-season maturity group, which have spreading and open plant type.
In some varieties, the curd remains naturally protected and surrounded by inner
whorls of leaves. These are called self-blanching types. Drawing and tying the tips of leaves
when curds are fully developed may do the blanching. The other way to place a leaf a
cauliflower over the curd 4-5 days prior to harvest.
7.1 Use of plant growth regulators
PGR Method of application Attributes affected
IBA@ 10ppm Seedling treatment Increase in yield
GA@ 100ppm +NAA@ Foliar spray Increase in yield
120ppm+Mo@ 2%
GA@ 50ppm +Urea @1% Foliar spray Increase in yield
GA3 @50ppm Foliar spray Increase in yield
NAA 10ppm Seedling treatment Plant stand in the field and
vegetative growth.

10. Harvesting of Cauliflower:-

Cauliflower would be ready for harvesting when the proper head has developed. Make sure
the head is compact and the plant should be cut below the head so that the stub has left the
head from damaging during transportation. The cauliflower plants should be when curds are
well developed. As all curds will not come to the maturity at the same time, so only those
which are full developed are removed. Harvesting during morning or evening is preferred so
that the produce may be kept cool for the market.
Yield of Cauliflower:-
For early cauliflower crop, yield of 80-150 quintal /acre can be expected. For late season
crop, yield could about 100-180 quintal / acre.

Storage:
Cauliflower can be stored successfully at 0oC and 90-95 percent RH for 2-4 weeks.