PRODUCTION OF CABBAGE FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH

 Cabbage is a biennial vegetable crop grown as annual with a very short stem supporting a mass of overlapping leaves to form a compact head. Cabbage can be eaten as raw or cooked of leaf part and can also be fermented to form saukraut. Cabbage differs in size, shape and colour of the leaves according to variety

BOTANY OF CABBAGE
• Common name: cabbage • Family name: Brassicaceae (crucifarae • Genus : Brassica • Specie : Oleraceae • Scientific name: Brassica oleraceae

ORIGIN OF CABBAGE

• Cabbage originated from wild form native to Western Europe and Northern shores of the Mediterranean region. Theoprastus described cabbage in 350BC and the Greeks cultivated it as early as 600 BC, they believed that cabbage was gift from God • Cabbage was used for medicinal purposes to treat gout, stomach problems, deafness headache and hang over in early days. Cabbage is now grown throughout the world.

USES OF CABBAGE

• Used as good source of vitamin A,B, and C
• It prevents constipation
• It prevents diabetes
• It is a good appetizer when is eaten raw as salads and used in many other recipies.
• It is used for medicinal purposes
• Sources of minerals such as Mg, Ca, and K, P, Fe and Mn and fibers and folate
• Cabbage juice is used to treat peptic ulcers
• Used as vegetable
• CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS
• 2.1. Temperature

• Cabbage grows best in a relatively cool and humid climate. Yield and quality are poor in summer and it is also difficult to control insect pests. The optimum temperatures for growth and development are from 18 °C to 20 °C. It is fairly resistant to frost and can survive temperatures as low as – 3 °C without damage. Cabbage is also adapted to a wide variety of climatic conditions and can such be grown throughout the year in most regions. Rainfall Water requirements vary from 380 to 500 mm per crop, depending on climate and length of growing season

• 2.2 Altitude

• Cabbage grows well in the high lands mainly from 1200 m – 1900 m above the sea level for good growth and production

• 2.3 Soil requirements.

• Cabbage can be grown on a wide range of soils but it thrives on well-drained, moisture-retentive loamy soils well supplied with organic matter. It does not grow well on highly acidic soil. The ideal soil pH ranges from 5.5 to 6.5 and it should not be allowed to fall below 4.5. In soils with pH above 6.5 the leaves become dark but leaf margins die back. Plants in saline soils are also highly susceptible to blackleg

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• HORTICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS CABBAGE

•Head shape and size; round headed cabbage with medium size are most preferred. This is due to reasonable price and storage. • Internal firmness; Mature cabbage is well compacted with few unfolded outer leaves and produce drum sound when knocked. • Core (internal stem) length; the internal stem is short to allow accumulation of leaves within the head resulting into internal firmness. Taste; it have an appealing flavor to the consumer. • The maturity is almost 3to 4 months

• CULTURAL REQUIREMENT

Cabbage grows well in the following condition;

• Soil

• Well drained soil with pH range of 5.6 to 6.4 • Loamy and alluvial soil is the best soil for well growth of Cabbage

• Climate

• Cabbage grows well in cooler climate with temperature range of 10 to 25 degree celcus • If the rain is not well distributed, probably irrigation is the best solution

• Rotation

• In order to ensure maximum yield in a particular field, Cabbage should be rotated with other vegetables like Solanaceous so as to make deep nutrients to be near the surface so that cabbage can absorb it easier, and this is because cabbage have sharrow roots hence cannot get nutrients which is deep in the soil. Rotation is also important because it prevent from being attacked by soil born disease, nematodes and soil insects

• But rotation is necessary for those areas where they do practices without applying fertilizer, in the field where fertilizers is applied is not much necessary to rotate other problems like disease, nematodes and insects can be controlled by Pesticides

Cabbage is usually planted in staggered rows with spacing depending on variety. Row spacing Usually ranges from 50-90cm and planting within row, spacing of 25-60cm is recommended. This gives plant population of 22,000-80,000plants/ha.

• In Tanzania spacing varies from one variety to another, usually; spacing for Ox- heart is 50x40cm, Drumhead is 75x60cm. In cabbage production, wide spacing allows large size heads, while narrower spacing allows smaller size heads
• Irrigation
• Cabbage require constant moisture, hence in order to maintain should be irrigated as more as possible.
• But after formation of head probably heavy irrigation must be avoided so as to avoid bursting of head
• Mulching
• -Also its recommended to practice mulching particularly at the earlier stage soon after transplanting, this help to preserve moisture and optimum temperature

Weeding

• Weeding should be practiced in order to ensure maximum yield particularly at younger stage of the crop. Weeds should be removed because it attracts insects which can attack crops; also weeds compete with crops for nutrients. Weeding can be done by Hoeing or weed killer.
• Fertilizer application

Cabbage needs plenty of nutrients. NPK is needed for head formation. However, excess nitrogen (N) may cause loose head formation and internal decay. Potassium (K) deficiency can result in marginal necrosis and lower head quality, but its excess can cause the heads to open Cabbage grows satisfactorily only when the supply of organic nitrogen is liberal. For best results apply 50 to 60 tones of farmyard manure per hectare, at the time of land preparation. Since the supply of farmyard manure is very limited in the hills, only 25 to 30 tones farmyard manure per hectare, is usually applied Apply 200 to 300 kg superphosphate and 90 kg of muriate of potash by drilling.

• Two weeks after transplanting another side dressing of 55-75 kg/ha of N should be applied.

• DISEASES AND INSECTS

• Cabbage is among vegetable crops that cannot be produced without being attacked by insects or diseases. A number of insects attacking the crop include Diamond back moth (Plutella xylostella), Cabbage Aphids, and Cut-worms, and important diseases of cabbage are black rot (Xanthomonas campestris), soft rot (Erwinia carotovora) and Sclerotinia rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum). Cabbage yellows or cabbage wilt, caused by a fungus (Fusarium oxysporum or Fusarium conglutinans); yellowing and dwarfing

• Insects
• 1. Diamond back moth (Plutella xylostella).

• These are larvae with green colour and a very shiny line at the back; usually appear in large population on the leaves of cabbage. They feed from the beneath the leaves where eggs are hatched, causing very extensive damage. They destroy all leaf tissue between veins, also leaving the upper, waxy leaf epidermis. These insect are the most cause of economic loss in cabbage.

• Control

• These can be controlled by spraying with Dimethoate, Permethrin, sumicidin, Sevein pesticides. •

• 2. Cabbage Aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae)

• These suck sap from the plant causing chlorosis, stunted growth, even drying of the plant.

• Control

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• These can be controlled by using pesticides such as Karate, Fenvalerate, and selecron.

3. Cut worms ( Agrotis ipsilon) • This black in colour, normally cause damage to cabbage seedlings, by feeding at night,

• Control

• This insect can be controlled by use pesticides like Deltamethrin, Fenvalerate, and Carbaryl after transplanting, could be helpful in attaining good quality cabbage 4. Cabbage sawfly. •

• They cause damage during larval stage, they are green or blue in Colour and they eat all the leaves leaving only veins.

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• Control

•Use chemicals for example Sevin, Dimethoate, Permethrin and Fenvalerate.

• 1.Bacterial soft rot

• It is caused by bacteria that are found in the soil. Diseases attacks the cabbage and making them to change the Colour, rot, and giving bad smell Control •Avoiding injuries during harvesting period. • Harvesting should be done when there is no rainfall • Keep the harvested cabbages in cool environment with enough air supply. • Uproot all remains and burn them and cultivating the farm immediately