This article throw light upon the top three types of cole crops cultivated in India. The types are: 1. Cabbage 2. Cauliflower 3. Knol-Khol.
Cole Crop: Type # 1. Cabbage:
a. Botanical name: Brassica oleracea var. capitata
b. Family: Brassicaceae/Cruciferae
c. Fruit type: Siliqua
d. Edible part: Head
e. Season of sowing: Hills: January – February, July – August and September – October. Plains: August – November.
f. Seed rate/ha: 350-500 gm.
g. Spacing: Hills: 40 x 40 cm. Plains: 45 x 30 cm
h. Planting: 30 – 40 days old seedlings are selected for planting.
i. Varieties fertilizers: Hills: Questo, Pusa Drumhead, Pride of India, Early Wonder, September and Eclips.
j. Plains: Golden Acre, Maha Rani, Large Solid, Late drumhead and Early autumn Jain.
k. Hybrid: Pusa synthetic, Pusa Mukta, Pusa Sambandh.
l. Harvesting: Early: 60-80 days. Late: 100-120 days Yield: Hills: 70 – 80 t/ha Plains: 25-35 t/ha
Cole Crop: Types # 2. Cauliflower:
a. Botanical name: Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
b. Edible part: Curd
c. Sowing time: Early: Mid May – Mid June
d. Mid & Late: July – August
e. Seed rate/ha: Early: 500-600 gm.
f. Mid & Late: 350-400 gm.
g. Planting: Sow the seeds in raised beds and transplant 25 days (early varieties), 45 days old seedlings (late varieties) at 45 cm apart.
h. Varieties fertilizers: Pusa Dapoli, Cuba Giant, Pusa Snowball, Second early. Early kunwar and Second early kunivar, Patna mid season, Pusa Himjyoti, Pusa Ketki, Himani and Arka kanti.
i. Physiological disorders are Browning, Whip tail. Buttoning & Blindness.
j. Maturity time: Early: Sept-Oct.
i. Mid & Late: Nov-Dec.
a. Yield: Hills: 20-30 t/ha Plains: 15 – 20 t/ha
Cole Crop: Type # 3. Knol-Khol:
a. Botanical name: Brassica oleracea var. caulorapa
b. Edible part: Rower buds Planting time: October Seed rate/ha: 1-1.5 kg
c. Varieties: King of North, Purple speck (earliest var.). Purple Vienna, White Vienna, Golithwhite (Sadashiv) etc.