Cultivation of broccoli

Cultivation of broccoli

Ø Botanical name = Brassica oleracea V italica Plenck

Ø Family = Crusiferae or brassicaceae

Ø Chromosome number = 2n =18

Ø Origin place = Mediterranean region

Ø Edible part of cabbage = Head(flower bud)

It is a modification of inflorescence

Ø Type of fruit = siliqua

Ø Type of inflorescence = cymbose

Ø Type of plant = Early variety are annual and late are perennial

Ø Type of pollination = Cross(95%)

Ø Pollinating agent = Honey bee and flies

Ø Type of flower = protogynous

Ø Highest production in world = USA

Ø Highest production in India = HP

Ø Highest productivity in India = HP

Ø Ancestor of broccoli =Brassica oleracea V. sylvestris

Ø Genome=CC

Ø “Cole crop” book is written by = Nieuwhof

Ø Cole word are derived from Caulis means Stem.

Ø Broccoli cultivation started in 19 century.

Ø Broccoli word are derived from itailian word brachium means arm or branch.

One other term seen in many books

Ø Broccoli word are derived from Itailian word broccoli means A flower crest of a cabbage.

Ø Broccoli are rich in Vit. A(9000IU) ,Iodine(1.965%) .

Ø It have 130 times more Vit.A than cauliflower and 22 times more than cabbage.

Ø Broccoli is the rich source of Sulforaphane .

Sulforaphane= It have anti cancer property.

Ø Broccoli are only vegetable which have found selenium (antioxidant).

Ø Genus brassica have 6 basic genome = AABBCCDEF.

Ø Genetic male sterility reported in calaberse and purple heading broccoli by Cole(1959) and Brocher(1966).

Ø Genetic male sterility governed by recessive male gene= ms.

Ø Smaller head or side sprouts are also called as = Spears.

Ø Broccoli are mainly three types=

1. Heading type

2. Sprouting broccoli

3. Purple cauliflower(Purple sicilion broccoli)

Ø Sprouting broccoli are mainly three types but two more popular for cultivation=

1. Green (popular in india)

2. Purple( Popular in European country)

3. White type

Ø Calaberese broocoli are cultivated in india.

Cultivation

Ø Optimum temperature for broccoli cultivation = 12-20C.

Ø Ideal temperature for fertilization = 12-18 C

Ø It are sensitive to high temperature.

Ø High temperature 80F causes premature flowering in broccoli.

Ø Purple broccoli are more hardy against low temperature than green broccoli.

Ø Optimum ph = 5.5-6.5 .

Varieties

1. Sprouting broccoli type (green) = Pusa KTS-1, Palam samriddhi, Punjab broccoli-1, Arcadia, Gypsy, solan green head, lucky, fiesta, Pushpa etc.

2. Calaberese type = Southern comet , premium crop, clipper laser(Ex early), corsair, cruiser, corona , Emerald, Exccoliber(mid), Late corona, stiff kayak, green stuff(late).

3. Other varieties = Belstar, blue wind , Coronado crown , destiny, dicicco, green goliath, green masic, purple sprouting, Romanesco, sun king, Waltham etc.

4. Bronzino is a purple variety of heading broccoli.

5. Di Cicco is main winter variety.

Ø Seed rate =400-500g /hec.

Ø Hot water treatment of seed at 50+-2 for 30 minutes use against Black leg(Phoma liganum) and Black rot (Xanthomonas brassicae).

Ø Sowing time =

1. Plains =mid august to mid September

2. Hills= march to april and july to august.

Ø 4-6 weeks old seedlings use for transplanting.

Ø Broccoli are not suitable for green house cultivation because colour development are adversely affected.

Ø Harvesting =

1. Early =40-50 days after

2. Mid = 60-100 days after

3. Late =more than 100 days

Ø Harvesting time =

1. Plains = dec to march

2. Hills = nov to april .

Ø Yield = 5-15 tonnes /hec.

Ø Storage = 0 C with 95% RH for 2-4 weeks.

Ø If Purple cauliflower(Purple sicilion broccoli) are harvested before frost it’s taste like broccoli and if it are harvested after frost it’s taste like cauliflower.

Ø whiptail in broccoli=Mo deficiency

Ø Hollow stem and browning = Bo deficiency.

Ø Leafy head = exess of N and water.

Ø Large and coarser bud = high temperature.

Ø Major pest of Cole crops is: DBM (diamond black moth) (Plutella xylostella)