CABBAGE PRODUCTION

A Simplified Guide

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By Dahlia Shumba 0775589553
 Cabbage Production
Crop Cabbage
Classification Family Cruciferaceae
Genus Brassica
Species oleracea
Sub-species Capitate

Nursery management
Seed requirement Seeds/gram 200-350
Seeds/m² 1000seeds (4g) same for all heading vegetables
Seeds/ha Seed trays – 150-250g
Conventional seedbed – 250-300g
Insitu- not recommended because it’s not economic
Periodical time to Planting All year round- variety performance differ with seasons
Emergence 5-7days, depending on conditions prevailing
Transplanting 35days from planting, 28days from emergence
Soil temperature for Minimum 4⁰C, Low temperatures lead to poor or slow germination
germination Optimum 18-35⁰C, Optimum temperature = Good germination
Spacing Sowing depth 1cm Maintain depth for good emergence
Inrow spacing 0.5-1cm Avoid overcrowding your seedlings as this may
Interrow spacing 5-7cm lead to week seedlings
Conventional bed Manure/m² 10kg Broadcasted evenly and incorporated with the soil
preparation Compound C/m² 45g
requirements
AN/m² 35g Broadcasted 2 weeks after emergence
Managenent Bed preparation Dig a bed 1m wide with a length enough to accommodate your seeds
Broadcast well decomposed manure and Compound C, then
incorporate lightly into the soil
Drill lines 1cm deep, 10cm apart and sprinkle the seeds (4g/m²) trying
to achieve 1cm between seeds
Cover the seeds lightly with manure or any other light materials like
sand
Erect a shed 10-20cm from the ground then remove soon after
emergence
Watering Maintain the moisture at optimum, avoid overwatering or
underwatering
Top dressing Broadcast at week 2 after emergence and follow up with light
irrigation. Wingrow can also be used if the seedlings are too stunted
Spraying Spray Acetamiprid + Abamectin and Copper/Mancozeb every week to
make sure the seedlings are healthy
Hardening Around 4 weeks from emergence, the seedlings will be ready for
transplanting, harden them by withdrawing water for about 2-3 days
until they start showing wilting signs by 10am, so that they easily
adopt to the field conditions

Field Management
Crop Cabbage
Soil requirements Soils Clay loams rich in Organic manure

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 pH 5.5-6.5
Climatic Temperature 18-30
requirements Water requirement Heavy
Ease of care Difficult
Spacing Interrow 60-90cm
Inrow 30-60cm

Plant population Minimum 20k

Maximum 45k
Varieties Early maturity 65-80days Fabiola, Kilimo, Athena plus

Medium 85-110days 3301, 3311, 3317, Indica, Gemma, Copenhagen market, Corton,
Marcanta, Delight
Late 110-150days Drumhead, 3316

Fertilisation
Application Fertiliser Composition Rate N P K Remarks
g/plant
Basal Compound C 5:15:12 30 1.8 4.5 3.6 Notes 1
Top dressing Ammonium Nitrate 34.5%N 15 5.2 Notes 2
7 4.5 3.6
Foliar spray Wuxal macromix 16 : 16 : 12 2ltr At week 3, 5 and 7 (Notes 3)
Wuxal calcibor 9%N, 14%Ca 2ltr At week 4 and 5 (Notes 4)
1. Compound C at 30g/plant before planting, avoid direct contact of the roots and fertiliser
2. Ammonium nitrate, apply 5g/plant at week 1, 2 & 3 (summer), 2, 4 & 6 (winter) after transplanting
3. Wuxal macromix- foliar spray at 16ml/16l every 2 weeks at week 3, 5 and 7
4. Wuxal calcibor- foliar spray at 16ml/16l every 2 weeks at week 4 and 5

*Total fertiliser application = Rate/plant * Plant population (Divide by 1000 to convert to kgs)

Herbicides
Pre-emergence Metolachlor
Post-emergence Propaquizafop, Fluazifop-p-Butyl

Insects
Aphids (Brevicoryne Bagrada bug (Bagrada Whitefly (Bemisi tabaci) Thrips (Thrips tabaci)
brassicae) hilaris)

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Methomyl, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Malathion, Dichlorvos Deltamethrin, Chess, Thiamethoxam
DBM (Plutella xylostella) Webworm (Hellula undalis) Semi-looper (Trichoplusia ni)

B. thrungiensis, Acephate, Cartap hydrochloride, Deltamethrin, Emamectin benzoate, Lufenuron, Indoxacarb,

Fipronil, Flubendiamide, Chlorantraniliprole, Mercaptothion, Abamectin, Malathion, Dichlorvos, Methomyl,
Diazinon, Chlorpyrifos
Redspider (Tetranychus urticae) Cabbage root fly (Delia radicum) Cutworms (Agrotis ipsilon)

Amitraz, Dicofol, Abamectin, Abamectin, Imidacloprid, Chlorpyrifos, Lambda cyhalothrin,

Diazinon, Profenofos Acetamiprid, Malathion, Carbaryl, Deltamethrin
Dichlorvos, Deltamethrin,
Flubendiamide, Acephate, Cartap
hydrochloride

Fungal diseases
Damping off (Pythium spp) Downey mildew (Peronospora White rust (Albugo candida)
parasitica)

Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride,

Captan, Copper oxychloride, Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride,
Chemlaxyl, Chlorothalonil
Mancozeb, Thiram, Chemlaxyl Chemlaxyl, Chlorothalonil, Antracol

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Ring spot (Mycosphaerella Black leafspot Powdery mildew (Erysiphe Leaf blight (Phytophtora
brassicicola) (Alternaria brassicicola) cruciferarum) brassicicola)

Mancozeb. Chemlaxyl, Mancozeb, Copper Mancozeb, Copper Mancozeb, Copper

Antracol, Chlorothalonil, oxychloride, oxychloride, Tebuconazole, oxychloride, Chemlaxyl,
Copper oxychloride Tebuconazole, Chlorothalonil, Chlorothalonil, Antracol
Chlorothalonil, Difenoconazole
Difenoconazole

Bacterial Diseases
Black rot (Xanthomonas campestris) Bacterial wilt (Pseudomonas Soft rot (Erwinia carotovora)
syringae)

For all bacterial diseases

✓ Avoid excessive use of nitrogen
✓ Keep crops free from pests and diseases
✓ Hybrids have better bacterial disease tolerant
✓ Plant certified seed
✓ Use Acibenzolar-S-methyl
✓ Harvest onions during dry conditions

Viral Diseases
Turnip yellow virus Keep crop free from sap sucking pests (Aphids, Thrips etc)
Plant resistant varieties especial hybrids
Turnip mosaic virus

**Always read the labels on chemicals for rates and post-harvest intervals
**Chemicals listed in active ingredients, trade names may differ
**Chemical colour codes do not illustrate the effectiveness in pest control, but the toxicity to the operator

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 Cabbage Program
Plant pop Area Spacing Variety
Week after Foliar sprays/ Herbicides/16l
transplanting Age Date Fertilisers/ plant Pesticides/16l Fungicides/16l 16l
Transplanting Compound C 30g Lambda16ml Metolachlor 120ml
1 7 Dichlorvos 16ml Copper 80g
2 14 AN 5g Demise 16ml Bravo 32ml
3 21 AN 5g Savage 8ml Mancozeb 50g Macromix 80ml
4 28 Carbaryl 50g Bion 5g Calcibor 80ml Fluazifop 80ml
5 35 AN 5g Dichlorvos 16ml Copper 80g Macromix 80ml
6 42 Demise 16ml Bravo 32ml Calcibor 80ml
7 49 Savage 8ml Mancozeb 50g Macromix 80ml
8 56 Carbaryl 50g Copper 80g
9 63 Dichlorvos 16ml Bravo 32ml
10 70 Demise 16ml Mancozeb 50g
11 77
12 84

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