cauliflower - Cultivation- production technology varieties pest and disease

vegetable science - CULTIVATION ASPECTS

1. VSC 602 Production Technology of Cool Season Vegetable Crops (2+1) PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY OF CAULIFLOWER

2. Introduction Cauliflower is one of the most important Cole crop grown as vegetable throughout the world. Now it grown in both temperate and tropical areas. It is originated from wild cabbage B. oleracea L. var. sylvestris L.

3. Cauliflower Botanical name Brassica olerace var. Botrytis Family Brassicaceae / Cruciferae Chromosome number 2n=18 Edible part Curd

4. Origin B. oleracea var. botrytis L. is believed to have originated in Cyperus or somewhere in southern part of Europe around meditteranion coast. It is originated in the island of Cyperus from moved to Syria, Turky , Egypt, Italy, Spain and north western Europe ( bosewell , 1949)

5. In middle – 16 th century – first illustration – description – herbalist Dodoens (1544) 18 th century – popularized Different types of cauliflowers is there types origin Cornish England Northern England Roscoff France Angers France Erfurts or snowfall Germany & netherlands

6. Cornish type – 1 st introduction – India – contribute resist genes – Eg. Black rot, self incompatibility – curd flavor, open plant habit and exposed yellow loose curds ( swarup and chatterjee , 1972) Indian cauliflower – early maturing – annual type – tolerant High temperature and humid condition.

7. History Caulis – latin – cabbage Flori – flower Botrytis – budding In introduced in India at 1822 by Dr. Jemson a botanist from Kew. (Saharanpur – Northern plains) ( Swarup and Chatterjee , 1972)

8. AREA AND PRODUCTION

9. Botany Edible potion is the white curd like mass composed of a close aggregation of abortive flowers, developed on thick bunches of the inflorescence. This is called as curd. Curd is made numerous hypertrophic branch it terminate main stem and highly suppressed with no part of flower apparent there. ( kato 1964)

10. Composition It is a source of vitamin A and C .( Nath , 1976) Energy 31 calories Protein 2.4g Calcium 22mg Vitamin A 40 IU Ascorbic acid 70 mg Thiamine 0.2mg Riblovin 0.1mg Niacin 0.57mg ( Conew 1959)

11. Uses Cauliflower used to prepare dishes Seedling used for salads and greens Curd used for curries, soups and pickles. Curd is cut in to pieces, dried and preserved for off-season use.

12. Indian Vs European Cauliflower TROPICAL TYPE/INDIAN EUROPEAN/ERFURT/SNOWFALL TYPE Heat tolerant Non-tolerant Curd can form at 20-27 °c 5-20 °c (10-16 °coptimum) Annual type Biennial Early Late Curd yellow with strong flavor White with mild flavor Short juvenile phase Long juvenile phase

13. Varieties and hybrids Cauliflower varieties are very responsive to temperature and photoperiod. Require specific temperature for their curd and development. According to temperature requirement varieties have been classified in 5 groups (Singh and Nath , 2011)

14. Extra early temperature (20 – 27 °c ) Early kunwari PAU, Punjab Leaves are bluish green with waxy blooms Partial blanching habit curd Colour cremish Field tolerant to alternaria blight and block rot Sensitive to ricyness

15. Pusa early synthetic IARI, New Delhi. Curd is yellowish white Planting End of June or 1 st week of July Curd yield 110q/Ha

16. Early selection Nursery – May – June Mature at 70-75 DAS

17. Pusa meghna Plants collected from Hazipur (Bihar) using recurrent selection method Curds are white, weight is 350-400g Semi spreading plants with 5-7 cm long stalks and 45-48 cm height Maturity about 90-100 days

18. Ati shigra (F1) (NS 1351) Curd weight 0.5Kg mature at 50 days. White colour and good firmness

19. Himlata Tolerant to high temperature and grow in summer. Mature in 50-55 Days after planting. White colour curd, Popular and well known to Throught country.

20. Himdev Grow in summer and rainy season Mature within 35-40 Days after planting.

21. Basant (F1) (NS 245) White curd colour, semi dome shaped and good firmness Curd weight 1 – 1.5Kg maturity at 55-60 days Perform well in southern states

22. Early group (20-25 °c ) Pusa deepali IARI, New Delhi Inbreeding through local collection Crop duration 100-120days Hot weather cauliflower creamy white Highly tolerant to ricyness and fuzzyness

23. Arka kanti IIHR, Bengaluru 25 tones/ ha Heads white compact

24. Sharvani Curd pure white and dome shaped Tolerant to soft rot ( Erwina sp .) Suitable for rainy season cultivation

25. Medium group (16-19 °c ) Improved japanese Introduction from israel 90 – 95 days for maturity 145q/ha

26. Pusa himjyoti IARI, Reginol station, katrain Curds are pure white and they retain their colour even after exposure 150 – 170q/ha

27. Pusa hybrid 2 Resistant to downy mildew Curd cream white 23 tones/ha

28. Somersat Better heat tolerant Curd weight 2Kg Self blanching Tolerant to fusarium wilt

29. Mid late group 12-16 °c Pusa synthetic IARI, New Delhi Some what Self blanched Mature at 130 days from sowing This is the 1 st synthetic variety recommended vegetable crops Set seeds without sacrificing yield Tolerant to curd blight

30. Romanesco Self blanching type Good source of vitamin – c and antiaging , wound healing, degreesing blood chloestral 120-125 DA Transplanting

31. Late group (10-16 °c ) Pusa snowfall 1 RRS Katrain intervarietal cross EC 12012XEC 12013 Snow white colour curd

32. Pusa snowfall K 1 Selection made at Katrain from exotic material Tolerant to black rot disease and curd and inflorescence blight Best quality curds among snowball types

33. Ooty 1 It is a selection from OP progenies of local types and released from Horticultural Research Station Ooty . Compact uniform curds with attractive creamy white colour. Curd is free from ricyness and have good keeping quality

34. Ooty 1

35. Self blanched variety – Pusa Deepali Self blanched and offseason variety – Pusa Himjyoti and Hisar 1 Tolerant to black rot disease and curd and inflorescence blight – Pusa snowfall K-1 Highly resistant to black rot and free Riceyness – Pusa katki Tolerant to curd Curd and inflorescence blight – Pusa synthetic.

36. Climate Thermo sensitive crop Optimum temperature required range from 20 to 25 °c in sep to Oct and 5 to 10 °c during Dec to Jan Tropical type – curd formation – 20 to 25°c Temperate annuals – curd formation 10 °c to 16°c

37. At high altitudes the longer day length promotes much faster growth of the plant (Salter 1960) The optimum temperature for growth of young plants is around 23°C and 17°–20°C in later stages.

38. Soil It can be grown in wide range of soil with good fertility. light soil are more sensitive to drought and therefore, adequate moisture supply is important. Light soil – early crop, loam and clay soils – mid and late season crops.

39. Cont… Cauliflower is relatively more sensitive to deficiency of boron and molybdenum respectively it cause browning and whiptail. Also it has high requirement of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency appear in acid soil.

40. Cont… High ph reduces the availability of boron cauliflower require on an average ph range of 5.5 to 6.6ph and below 5.5ph it would be necessary to do liming at the rate of 4 to 8 tonnes/ha.

41. Season( Swarup and Chatterjee,1972) GROUP TEMPERATURE TIME OF SOWING SEED TIME OF CURD MATURITY EARLY MATURITY EARLY I 20 27 °c MAY TO JUNE SEPTEMBER EARLY II 20 25 °c FIRST FORTNIGHT OF JULY OCT. TO MID NOV. MID SEASON MATURITY GROUP II 16 20 °c JULY-AUGUST LATE NOV. TO MID DEC. MID LATE MATURITY GROUP III 12 16 °c SEPTEMBER LATE DEC. TO MID JAN LATE MATURITY GROUP (SNOWBALL TYPE) 10 16 °c OCTOBER MID JAN ONWARDS

42. Crop rotation Maximum returns obtained from cauliflower – Tomato – Okra ( Randhawa and Singh, 1977) and Late crops – spinach

43. Randhawa and Saini , 1996 Cauliflower – Tomato –Okra Brinjal - Cauliflower – Bottle Gourd Cauliflower (early) – Radish – Chilli Okra - Cauliflower (Main Crop) – French Bean Maize – Cauliflower(mid Season) – Brinjal Cauliflower (early) – Onion Cauliflower (early) – Carrot (Seed Crop) Cauliflower (early) – Radish (Seed Crop) Garlic – Turnip - Cauliflower Blackgram – Cauliflower (Late) – Cowpea Cluster Bean – Cauliflower (Main Crop)- Bitter Gourd

44. Seed treatment Prior to sowing seeds are treated with fungal culture of Trichoderma viride (4 g/ kg of seed) or Thiram (3g/ kg of seed) or to avoid damage from damping-off carbendazim (3g/ kg of seed) ( pythium , Rhizoctonia ) disease. Streptocycline 1.5g/kg of seed for control black rot or hot water treatment with 50 °c for 30 minutes .

45. Nursery practices Early crop 500-600g/ha Mid and late crop 350-400g Bed preparation The soil of the nursery beds should be reduced to the finest possible tilth before sowing and manuring FYM or Compost @10kg/m2 Length is convenient and width 1m, height 30cm

46. Sowing method The seed sown thinly (15-20seed per 30cm) in rows and not more than 1.5-2cm deep. The rows should be 7cm apart. Seeds are covered after sowing with 0.5-1cm of soil. Mulching material (dry grass) can be used to cover the bed after sowing. It should be removed after seed sprouting(3-4 days),

47. After sowing the seedbed irrigate frequently using rose cane twice a day. And channel between the two beds watered alternate days or every third day. Watering should be withheld 3-4 days before transplanting so that seedlings get hardened. Before uprooting, the beds are thoroughly soaked water to facilitate to remove for transplanting.

48. Protray The protrays of 98 cells are ideal for cauliflower seedling production. Around 600 Protrays are required for of 28,333 seedlings required for one hectare at a spacing of 60x45x45 cm in three row planting.

49. Protected nursery Raise the seedlings in shade net house. A nursery area of 5 cents with slanting slope of 2% is required for the production of seedlings for 1 ha. Cover the nursery area with 50 per cent shade net and the sides with 40/50 mesh insect proof nylon net. Form the raised beds of 1m width and convenient length inside the nursery and above the beds, place the protrays .

50. Growing medium The sterilized coco peat @ 720kg/ha is mixed with 10kg of Neem cake and Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria each @ 1kg. About 1.25 kg of the coco peat medium is required for each tray.

51. Transplanting 3-4 days after sowing seed was sprouted. Seedling are ready to transplant 4-6 weeks after sowing defends on weather conditions. When transplant in monsoon time spray 0.5% urea and 1% later stages.

52. Field preparation The soil should be well prepared and brought to a fine tilth . The manure and fertilizer should be applied as a basal does while preparing the field. Planting should be done at a spacing of 60*30cm or 60*45cm. Just before transplanting a light irrigation should be given.

53. Application of fertilizers Hills: Apply 30 t/ha of FYM and 90 kg N, 90 kg P and 90 kg K as basal dose and 45:45:45 kg NPK/ha after 45 days. Plains: Apply 15 t of FYM/ha and 50 kg N, 100 kg P and 50 kg K as basal and 50 kg N after 45 days. Apply 2 kg of Departmental vegetable micronutrient mixture without mixing with the chemical fertilizers.

54. Nitrogen should be given in two split doses, half as basal with full dose of p and k, and the remaining half of nitrogen to be applied 30-35 th days of transplanting

55. Fertigation Fertigation requirement for F1 hybrid: 200: 125: 125 kg of NPK / ha. Apply once in every three days throughout the cropping period. Spacing 60x45x45cm in paired row system

56. Total amount of fertilizers 19: 19: 19+MN = 63 kg 13: 0: 45 (KNO 3 ) = 119 kg Urea = 368 kg 0-0-50(K 2 SO 4 ) = 121 kg 12:61:0(NH 4 H 2 PO 4 ) = 32 kg

57. Irrigation Light and frequent irrigation should be given as without stagnation of water. Water should be allowed to flow in the furrow.

58. Weeding Weed is a serious problem because wider spread of crop and frequent irrigation and liberal use of fertilizers and manures. The curd yield could be reduced to the 36-39%. Crop need four weeks of weed free period after transplanting.

59. Control method Pre planting spray of 2.5lit of Basalin or 3.3 lit of Pendimethalin per hectare for control of Dicot weeds Spary before 45 days. Control of Cyperus , Cynodon and Parthenium spraying Glyphosphate @2.5llit/ha

60. Earthing up Earthing up is done 30 days after transplanting. At the time of earthing up the plants are supported with soil to avoid toppling of the plant during head formation . During rainy season, the roots of plants in ridge planting get exposed. Adequate earthing up covers such exposed roots.

61. Blanching This problem generally occurs in early and mid season maturity group with spreading and open plant type . Blanching is an important operation to protect the curds from yellowing due to direct exposure to sun . The curds may also loose some of their flavor because of this exposure.( mehta , 1959; srivastava,1960)

62. To avoid this, the tips of the leaves are drawn in and tied together or the curds are covered with leaves 4-5 days prior to harvest. In some varieties the curd remains naturally protected and surrounded by inner whorls of leaves. These are called self-blanching types.

63. Mulching Polythene mulch had beneficial effects on yield while straw had adverse effect 10cm thick mulching with paddy husk had been found to be beneficial in increasing the growth and yield of cauliflower (Patel and Jyotishi , 1969)

64. Growth regulators NAA 10 PPM as starter solution found to effective plant stand in the field and growth. Application of GA4+GA7 @ 80mg/lit of water shortened the period from transplanting to the harvest.( booji , 1990) Maximum plant height, curd diameter and yield of cauliflower apply GA3 twice.

65. Mustard saw fly – Athalia sp. Cold weather pest all cruciferous vegetable suffer greatly during winter, Damage more in nursery. Symptoms Grubs feed leaf margin and later leaf lamina

66. Mustard saw fly – Athalia sp . Control Cultural method Field sanitation Hand picking of grubs Early sowing of the crop Chemical method Quinalphos 0.05% or malathion 0.1%

67. Aphid Cabbage aphid - Brevicoryne brassicae Peach aphid - Myzus persicae Mustard aphid - Lipaphis erysimi Nymph and adults suck shoots, loss vigor and honey dew secretion it become a sooty mould.

68. Symptoms Leaves become pitted, curled, young fruits shriveled and drop prematurely. Infestation occurs during flowering fruit setting is totally suppressed Winter season damage occur it disappear in summer

69. IPM collect and destroy infested plant parts along with insects Yellow sticky traps 12/Ha to attract winged adults Encourage coccinellids, syrphids and pathogens Entomophthora sp . And Cephalosporium aphidicola .

70. IPM Spray Neem oil 3% or Dimethoate 2ml/lit with 0.5ml Teepol / lit of water. Imidacloprid 2ml/lit of water.

71. Cabbage butterfly ( Pieris sp. ) Symptoms The young green caterpillars feed on the surface of the leaves and skeletonise them Look like rugged appearance, Control Nicotinic sulphate @0.05% to check the infestation

72. Semi looper ( Plusia sp. ) Symptoms Defoliate leaves midrib and main veins. Scrapping initially later defoliate entire leaves. Control Set light trap Spray nicotinic sulphate @0.05% or Thiodan @ 0.15%

73. Diamond back moth ( plutella xylostela ) Caterpillars feed on undersurface of leaves and bite holes in leaves and cause serious damage Withered appearance of affected leaves. Skeletonized leaves.

74. IPM Grow mustard as intercrop at 20:1 ratio. Install pheromone traps @ 12 No/ha. Release larval parasite Diadegma semiclausum @ 50,000/ ha, 60 days after planting

75. IPM Spray NSKE 5 % or cartap hydrochloride @ 1 g/lit or Bacillus thuringiensis @ 1g/lit at primordial stage (ETL 2 larvae/plant) or use chemicals Insecticide Dose Azadirachtin 5% Neem Extract Concentrate 5.0 ml/10 lit. Lufenuron 5.4 % EC 1.2 ml/lit. Spinosad 2.5 % SC 1.2 ml/lit. Trichlorofon 50 % EC 1.0 ml/lit.

76. Damping off ( Pythium sp .; Rizoctonia sp .; Fusarium sp ) it is common in nursery seedlings. Symptoms It becomes dark and vascular region of the main stem become discolored.

77. Damping off (pythium sp.;Rizoctonia sp.;Fusarium sp) Damping off occurs in two stages, i.e. the pre-emergence and post-emergence phase.

78. Damping off (pythium sp.;Rizoctonia sp.;Fusarium sp) In the pre-emergence the phase the seedlings are killed just before they reach the soil surface. The young radical and the plumule are killed and there is complete rotting of the seedlings.

79. Damping off (pythium sp.;Rizoctonia sp.;Fusarium sp) The post-emergence phase is characterized by the infection of the young, juvenile tissues of the collar at the ground level. The infected tissues become soft and water soaked. The seedlings topple over.

80. Favorable condition High humidity, high soil moisture, cloudiness and low temperatures below 24° C for few days are ideal for infection and development of disease. Crowded seedlings, dampness due to high rainfall, poor drainage and excess of soil solutes hamper plant growth and increase the pathogenic damping-off.

81. Cultural control Quality seed and a chemical or heat pasteurized planting medium should be used. Excessive watering and poorly drained areas of field should be avoided

82. Chemical control Soil drench with captan 75% WP @ 1000 g in 400 l of water/acre Treatment with captan 75% WP @ 20-30 g/kg seed

83. Black rot - Xanthomonas campestris pv . Campestris Symptoms: First appear as chlorotic or yellow (angular) areas near the leaf margins. Yellow area extends to veins and midrib forming characteristic ‘v’ shaped chlorotic spots which later turn black Veins and vein lets turn brown and finally black Vascular blackening extend beyond affected veins to midrib, petiole and stem

84. Black rot In advanced stages, infection may reach the roots system and blackening of vascular bundles occurs. Bacterial ooze can also be seen on affected parts If the infection is early, the plants wilt and die If the infection is late plants succumb to soft rot and die.

85. Favorable conditions Relative humidity > 90% High soil moisture Frequent rains

86. Control methods Crop sanitation Crop rotation for 2-3 years with non cruciferous crops Hot water treatment 50 c for 30mins followed by 30min dip in 100ppm streptocycline (Sharma 1981) Antibiotics like Agrimycin 100 (0.01%) and Aureomycin etc

87. Alternaria leaf spot - Alternaria brassicae A. brassicicola Symptoms: Spots are small, dark coloured They enlarge, soon become circular & 1mm. in diameter Under humid conditions groups of conidiophores will be formed in the spot

88. Alternaria leaf spot - Alternaria brassicae A. brassicicola Spots develop concentric rings. Finally the spots coalesce leading to blighting of leaves. The fungus is seed borne and cause shriveling of seeds and poor germination. Linear spots also appear on petioles, stems, pods & seeds.

89. Cultural control Long rotations (3 years) without crucifer crops or cruciferous weeds such as wild mustard. Plant later plantings upwind of earlier plantings. Allow for good air circulation (i.e. wide spacings , rows parallel to prevailing winds, not close to hedgerows).

90. Chemical control Spray zineb 75% WP @ 600-800 g in 300- 400 l of water/acre or mancozeb 75% WP @ 600-800 g in 300 l of water/acre

91. Club root of crucifers or Finger and toe disease: Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin Symptoms: stunting and yellowing of plants Leaves become yellowish and wilt on hot days. Club like swelling of root and root lets

92. Club root of crucifers or Finger and toe disease: Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin Club root is particularly prevalent on soils with a pH below 7, whereas it has been observed that the disease is often less serious on heavy soils and on soils containing organic manure.

93. Favorable conditions It occur at a temp range of 12-27 °c (25 °c ) High soil moisture Neutral to acidic soils 5-7.0 pH

94. Cultural control Use disease free seedlings A pH slightly above neutral (usually about pH 7.2) helps to minimize disease Add hydrated lime to soil to increase pH to 7.2 ( 6 weeks before planting @ 1.5 t/ac) Avoid excess irrigation

95. Management Soil fumigation with Methyl bromide 1kg/10m 2 followed by covering with plastic film. Seed treatment with Captan /Thiram 4g/kg, followed by T.viride 4g/kg. Application of lime 2.5t/ha. Soil drenching with Copper oxychloride 0.25%.

96. Downy Mildew Peronospora parasitica Symptoms Downy mildew can cause much of a field of milk white cauliflower curds to develop superficial discolored spots that renders the disease damage heads unmarketable.

97. Management Seed treatment with Metalaxyl (Apron 6g/kg). Foliar spray with Metalaxyl ( Ridomil ) @ 0.4%

98. Rhizoctonia It cause damping off, wire stem, bottom rot, head rot or crown rot is all caused by Rizoctoniia solani .

99. Symptoms Wire stem can be a seed problem where cauliflower or other cruciferous transplants are grown crowded together in unsterilized soil or seedling beds. This disease makes the seedling unsuitable for transplanting since many of the affected plants will die or grow poorly.

100. Management Sterilized soil and seedbed drenches with Copper oxychloride 0.25% will give good disease control. Application of Brassicol @20-30kg/ha has been found to be highly effective

101. Physiological disorders

102. Whip-tail In this condition, the leaf blades do not develop properly and become strap like. The growing point is severely deformed and no marketable curd is formed. This condition in cauliflower results because of the deficiency of molybdenum which occurs in acidic soils below 4 -5 pH.

103. Correction measures It may be controlled by liming the soil which reduces the acidity and increases the soil pH up to 6.5. It may also be controlled by the application of 1-2 kg/ac of sodium or Ammonium Molybdate .

104. Browning Browning is a common problem in cauliflower. In this the stem becomes hollow and the curd becomes brown. Affected curds develop a bitter taste. Browning occurs because of the deficiency of boron.

105. Correction measures This condition may be controlled by the application of borax or sodium borate @ 20 kg per hectare. In case of acute deficiency, spray of 0.25 to 0.50% solution of borax @ 1-2 kg/ac will give satisfactory results. It has been reported that boron and molybdenum increase curd size and weight as well as ascorbic acid content when applied together.

106. Buttoning This disorder of cauliflower is identified by the development of small curd or 'button' while the plants are small and consequently the curd gets open. This is caused due to the deficiency of nitrogen, by planting seedlings older than 6 weeks, or any other factors that cause check in growth in the early stage of seedlings

107. Buttoning These factors may be insufficient moisture supply, water logging, hot and dry weather, carelessness in proper and timely weeding and pest and disease attack. If an early variety is grown

108. Ricyness A premature initiation of floral buds in cauliflower is characterized by Riceyness . the curd becomes granular and loose. Such curds are considered to be of poor quality for marketing. Rampant growth, heavy nitrogen dressing and high relative humidity may also play some role in developing this condition

109. This condition may result from any temperature higher or lower than the optimum required for a particular variety It may also appear when the harvesting of curds is delayed and they become over mature.

110. Blindness The terminal bud does not develop or gets broken or eaten away by the insects, the condition is called ‘blindness’. In other words the plant grows without the terminal bud with no formation of curd or head. These types of plants should be removed from the field.

111. Fuzziness It appears as a flower pedicels of velvety curds elongate. It caused due to poor seeds, uneven temperature, Cultivate in abnormal time it will be encouraged. the look as being somewhat blurry within the cello wrap.

112. Leafiness Extremely small green leaves in between the curd segments in other words when the bracts grow out the curds called leafiness . Higher temperature during vegetative and curding stage.

113. Chlorosis Its due to magnesium deficiency. It occur in acidic soils. It shown yellow mottling and interveinal chlorosis. Results small curd produce. It control by apply MgO 300Kg/ha or bring the ph to 6.5 by adding dolomite.

114. Premature bolting Development of seed stalk before the formation of sufficient edible part is known as premature bolting. Exposure of plants to continuous low temperature (below 10 ° c) for 6-8 weeks result it cause. Early sowing, cold winter, poor seed and soil.

115. HOLLOW STEM It is due to boron deficiency and excess of nitrogen fertilizer It control by plants closer and with optimum use of nitrogen fertilizer Controlled by spraying of borax at 0.1 to 0.3% or soil application of borax @ 15-20 kg/ha

116. Frost injury Young seedlings turn yellowish white on both the surfaces. Fully grown curds of cauliflower are more seensitive to frost Rising the temperature by smoking, irrigate the field anticipating the danfer of frost

117. Harvesting Harvest immediately when reaches prime condition. In case of doubt about maturity it is better to harvest early than late. If the harvest is late the curd starts loosening because of emergence of flower stalk Large leaves are then trimmed away allow only sufficient leaves for protect the curd from bruising and other mechanical injury in transport.

118. Yield Early groups 10-15 tones/ha mid season 15-25 tones/ ha Snowfall types 20-30 tones/ha 20-30 tones curd containing 18,000 – 24,000 curds per hectare

119. Storage and marketing Snowfall cultivars kept at 7 days in 0° c to 0.7° c and RH 85-95% Curds stored with intact leaves at 0° c for 40 days and at 0° c for 20 days or in forced ventilation (7.5 to10.3° c ) there was no reduction in dry matter content of the curds. This was due to translocation of breakdown products from the leaves to the curds.

120. Pre and post harvest handling Harvest should be preferably be done in the night or early morning so the products remains turgid and fresh. Reduce the bruising of the curd by rubbing because the bruised portion became blackish and unattractive.

121. Grading Large greater than 2Kg(‘A’ super) Medium1to 2kg(‘B’ fancy) Small less than1kg(‘C’ commercial) The curds have phenotypic similarity and They should be firm, compact, creamy or snow white, well trimmed, free from discoloration.

122. References Winter vegetables advances and development – D.N. Singh and Vishal nath Text book of vegetables, tubercrops and spices – S. Tamburaj Narendra Singh A Guide on Vegetable culture - D.Veeraragavathatham , M.Jawaharlal , Seemanthini Ramadas   TNAU – Crop Production Guide 2013

123. Thank you…. Presented by Jagathesan.K 2016653402