Production guidelines

for Cabbage

agriculture,
forestry & fisheries
Department:
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
 Production guidelines
for Cabbage

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

Directorate Plant Production
Obtainable from
Resource Centre
Directorate Agricultural Information Services
Private Bag X144, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa
The web: www.daff.gov.za/publications
Published by
Directorate Agricultural Information Services
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Private Bag X144, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa

For further information please contacts

Directorate Plant Production, Division Vegetable Crops
Tel: 012 319 6072
Fax: 012 319 6372
E-mail: DPP@daff.gov.za

Disclaimer
This document has been compiled by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries and every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and thor-
oughness of the information contained herein and all liability for any errors,
omissions or inaccuracies in such information and data, whether attributable
to inadvertence or otherwise. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries therefore accepts no liability that can be incurred resulting from the
use of this information.
CONTENTS
Part i: General aspects
1. Classification ......................................................................... 1
2. Origin and distribution ........................................................... 1
3. Major production areas in South Africa ................................ 1
4. Description of plant ............................................................... 1
5. Cultivars ................................................................................. 2
6. Climatic requirements ........................................................... 2
7. Soil requirements .................................................................. 3
Part ii: Cultivation practices
1. Propagation .......................................................................... 3
2. Soil preparation ..................................................................... 3
3. Planting ................................................................................. 3
4. Fertilisation ........................................................................... 4
5. Irrigation ................................................................................ 5
6. Weed control ........................................................................ 5
7. Pest control ........................................................................... 5
8. Disease control ..................................................................... 6-10
9. Other cultivation practices .................................................... 10
Part iii: Post-harvest handling
1. Sorting and grading ............................................................. 11
2. Parking ................................................................................. 11
3. Storage ................................................................................. 11
4. Transport .............................................................................. 11
5. Marketing ............................................................................. 11
Part iv: Production schedules ........................................................... 12
Part v: Utilisation .............................................................................. 12
References ........................................................................................... 13
Part i: General aspects
1. Classification
Scientific name: Beta vulgaris var. cicla
Family: Cabbage, Khavhishi
Common names: Cabbage, Khavhishi

2. Origin and distribution

Cabbage is believed to have evolved from a wild form native to Europe, grow-
ing along the coast of the North Sea, the English Channel and northern Medi-
terranean. Theoprastus described cabbage in 350 BC and the Greeks culti-
vated it as early as 600 BC and they believed that cabbage was a gift from the
gods. Pliny reported a soft-headed form in ancient Rome and the Saxons and
Romans probably cultivated it and introduced it to the British Isles. The hard-
headed types were only mentioned in the 9th century. The early Egyptians
are said to have worshipped it. The plant was used for medicinal purposes
to treat gout, stomach problems, deafness, headache and hangovers in the
early days. Cabbage is now grown throughout the world.

3. Major production areas

3.1 South Africa

Cabbage is one of the most popular vegetables in South Africa. Cabbage is
grown country-wide, but production is more concentrated in Mpumalanga and
the Camperdown and Greytown districts of KwaZulu-Natal.

3.2 Internationally
Cabbage is a popular vegetable throughout the world because of its adapta-
bility to a wide range of climatic conditions and soil, ease of production and
storage, and its food value.

4. Description of the plant

4.1 Roots
Cabbage has an adventitious root system.

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4.2 Stem
Cabbage has an unbranched stem that remains less than 30 cm long
long.

4.3 Leaves
A rosette of sessile leaves arises as the growing point continues to form leaf
primordial. The outer leaves are green in colour and the inner ones are white.
As the plant grows, the leaves increase in number, forming a ball-shaped
head in the centre of the plant. The head is basically a large vegetative ter-
minal bud, formed by overlapping of numerous leaves developing over the
growing point of its shortened stem.

5. Cultivars
Several types of cabbage are grouped into conical or sugarloaf-headed, ball-
headed and drum-headed based on the shape of the head and the savoy.
They can also be classified according to their colour and growth cycle. The
leaves may be green or red and smooth or wrinkled. The savoy types are
tolerant to cold conditions and they have deep-wrinkled dark green-leaves.

6. Climatic requirements

6.1 Temperature
Cabbage grows best in a relatively cool and humid climate. Leaves are more
distinctly petioled and the quality of the head is impaired in drier atmospheres.
The delicate flavour is also lost under these conditions. 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 dam-
age. Cabbage is also adapted to a wide variety of climatic conditions and can
such be grown throughout the year in most regions.

6.2 Rainfall
Water requirements vary from 380 to 500 mm per crop, depending on climate
and length of growing season. Crop water use increases during the growing
period with a peak towards the end of the season.

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7. Soil requirements
Cabbage can be grown on a wide range of soils but it thrives on well-drained
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.

Part ii: Cultivation practices

1. Propagation
Cabbage is propagated from seeds.

2. Soil preparation
The land should be clean cultivated eight weeks before planting and the
ground must be ploughed deeply, immediately before planting, with a disk
harrow or other suitable implement to a depth of 450 to 600 mm. The soil
should be fumigated two weeks before planting time if necessary, to control
nematodes.

3. Planting
Cabbage may be planted by direct-seeding or transplanting of seedlings. If
direct seeding is to be used, about 2 kg of seed per hectare may be required.
Seedlings should be transplanted as soon as they reach the desired size and
only well-hardened, young, stocky plants should be used. Transplanting is
done on moist soil. The soil around the roots should be firmed and irrigated as
soon as possible after the seedlings rare set. In wet areas, cabbage should be
planted on raised beds or ridges to reduce water-logging and stem or root rot
diseases.
Plant population and spacing influence head size, head shape and yield.
Cabbage plant populations vary according to the target market for a particular
crop. It has been reported that cabbage forms smaller and slightly more point-
ed heads when they are spaced closely. Plant populations of 40 000 to 45 000
per hectare are suggested for large-headed types while for cultivars with me-
dium-sized heads, populations of 55 000 to 65 000 plants per hectare are said
to be ideal. For baby cabbage, populations of 80 000 to 100 000 plants per

3
hectare are recommended. It is recommended that large-headed cultivars
should be planted 600 to 700 mm apart between rows and 450 mm apart
within rows. Smaller-headed varieties are planted 600 X 300 mm apart.

4. Fertilisation
Cabbage is a heavy feeder and requires supplemental fertilisation in the form
of manure or compost, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Fertiliser pro-
grammes should be based on soil analyses and should be developed for each
field. Cabbage requires 200 to 250 kg nitrogen per hectare. Nitrogen is sup-
plied in split applications, where 50 % to 66 % is broadcast and ploughed in
just before planting. The first application is made together with phosphorus
and potassium. The remainder is side-dressed two to three weeks after trans-
planting and again three weeks later or applied once-off at about six weeks.
If a fertiliser mixture is preferred, 1 500 kg of 2:3:2 (22) and 100 kg potassium
per hectare may be broadcasted before planting. A top dressing of 300 kg
LAN should be applied approximately four weeks after transplanting and
again 4 weeks later if required.
Cabbage also needs micronutrients for proper growth and development. The
crop has a high requirement of calcium and deficiencies of this nutrient may
occur on acid soils, on soils with very high potassium or on very dry soils.
Foliar sprays of calcium nitrate can be used to supply calcium. Magnesium
may also be deficient on acid soils, on very light soils or on soils that are very
high in potassium. Spraying the plants with 5 kg magnesium per hectare can
rectify the problem.
Cabbage is very susceptible to molybdenum deficiency. Plants should be
sprayed with 125 g of sodium- or ammonium molybdate in 500ll of water per
hectare as soon as signs of deficiency are noticed. The availability of molyb-
denum may be increased by providing enough lime prior to planting. Iron may
be applied with a foliar spray with 1 % iron sulphate or chelate. The deficiency
of iron is common on calcareous, alkaline soils. Manganese deficiencies are
prevalent on soils with a pH of more than 5,5. A foliar spray of 5 kg per hectare
of manganese sulphate or 2 to 3 kg/ha of manganese oxide is suggested as
soon as symptoms of deficiency are observed. Cabbage may have boron
deficiencies in areas with high rainfall. Three kilograms of Solubor are effec-
tive in controlling boron deficiency.

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5. Irrigation
Cabbage should be irrigated immediately after sowing or transplanting
transplanting.
Thereafter, irrigation should be applied at intervals of 10 to 12 days in heavy
soils or eight days in light soils and the schedule should be followed until the
heads are fully developed and firm. Young plants should receive enough wa-
ter for vegetative growth before forming heads. Excess moisture when the
heads have formed may cause them to crack.

6. Weed control
Weeds are controlled mechanically or by hand as well as chemically through
the application of registered herbicides. Mechanical cultivation should be
done during land preparation until the plants are about half-grown. The first-
cultivation should be done two to three weeks after transplanting.

7. Pest control

Aphids (several kinds)

Cabbage is attacked by several aphids but the grey cabbage aphid (Brevico-
ryne brassicae) and the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) are the most
common. Damage is caused when they suck sap from the plant and con-
taminate the edible product. Feeding of the cabbage aphid causes a chlorosis
and malformation of the leaf.

Diamond-black moth (Plutella xylostella)

They suck sap from tender growth, resulting in a whitish, scarred appearance.
Growth and yields can be seriously reduced by heavy infestation.

Bagrada bug (Bagrada hilarus)

They suck sap from tender growth, resulting in a whitish, scarred appearance.
Growth and yields can be seriously reduced by heavy infestation.

American bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera)

The larvae feed on the leave. They cause severe damage in the early stages
of growth by destroying the growing points of the plants.

Cabbage webworm (Helula spp.)

The larvae spin a thin web over their feeding places. Damage is severe during
early attacks when they destroy the growing point of the plants.

5
Greater cabbage moth (Crocidolomia binotalis)
The larvae spin a thin web over their feeding places
places. Damage is severe during
early attacks when they destroy the growing point of the plants.

Red spider mite

Red spider mites are found on the underside of leaves, where they weave a
fine web. Damage is caused by sucking, resulting in a bronzing and yellowing
of leaves.

Cutworm (Agrotis spp.)

Cutworms cause damage when they cut off the stems of young seedlings
close to ground level.

Plusia looper (Plusia spp.)

Plusia looper feeds on the leaves and causes damage by cutting the foliage.

Thrips
Thrips tabaci is the most common species on cabbage. High populations of
the insect contaminate the edible product, thus affecting its appearance or
quality.

Nematodes
Several nematodes affect cabbage. Plants infested with nematodes are un-
thrifty and may become stunted. Plants may also have signs of moisture or
nutrient stress.

General control measures

Control measures such as crop rotation, using resistant cultivars, using regis-
tered chemicals (information from Department of Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries resource centre)

8. Disease control

Damping off (Altenaria spp., Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium spp.)

Infected seedlings wilt, turn purple and die, and often have no lateral roots.

CONTROL
Using treated seed

6
 Sterilising the seedbed before planting
Removing infected plants when symptoms appear

Sclerotonia rot or white mould (sclerotinia sclerotiorum)

The disease is favoured by cool, wet conditions and it can survive for two to
three years in the soil. Above-ground parts of infected plants may be covered
with a white cottony growth. The tissue beneath the mould turns soft and wa-
tery.

CONTROL
By crop rotation
Planting on ridges or raised beds
Removal and destruction of infected crop residues
Good water management aimed at keeping the soil dry

Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae)

The disease is soil-borne and the spores can survive for up to 20 years in the
soil. It is most severe on acid soils or moderate pH soils that are poorly drained
or have a high clay content. Infected plants are characterised by stunting, wilt-
ing and purpling of leaves. The roots change into a mass of large, elongated
or rounded swellings or clubs. The clubs rot and form bad smelling wet mass-
es.

CONTROL
By practising sanitation
Practising crop rotation
Grow transplants in fumigated beds
Lime the soil

Fusarium wilt or cabbage yellows (Fusarium oxysporum f.

conglutinans)
Fusarium wilt is more prevalent in summer and the fungus persists indefi-
nitely in the soil. Initially the symptoms appear as yellow foliage, often mainly
on one side of the plant. The leaves become distorted and gradually turn
brown and drop prematurely. The vascular area also discolours.

7
CONTROL
By planting resistant cultivars
Growing cabbage in winter
Planting on soils free of disease
Soil fumigation before planting
Practising crop rotation
Practising sanitation

Black rot (Xanthomonas campestris)

The disease is introduced to fields in seed and its spread is very rapid under
hot, rainy, windy conditions. The disease survives for three to five years in
fields and in the stems of host plants.
The symptoms first appear as yellow to light brown patches at the margins of
leaves and later a network of black veins develops within these areas. Af-
fected areas turn brown and dry out and often leave a characteristic triangu-
lar-shaped lesion on the leaf margin, with one point of the triangle directed
towards the midrib. Older infected leaves also drop and the vascular tissue
turns brown as the bacteria move into the main veins and vascular system.
Plants infected at the seedling stage may die or remain stunted.

CONTROL
Planting tolerant or resistant cultivars
Using disease-free seed or seed treated with hot water
Practising crop rotation
Control cruciferous weeds
Avoiding the use of sprinkler irrigation
Increase the interval between irrigation
Deep-ploughing of all infected plant material

Downy mildew (Peronospera parasitica)

Downy mildew is common in cool, humid weather. The fungus survives in
debris and is spread by air-borne spores in large numbers. Infected leaves
appear as if they have been lightly sprinkled with pepper. The leaves become
yellow around the pepper spots. Lesions merge to cover large areas of leaves.
Fine, fluffy white mould appears on the lesions on the underside of the leaf
during humid conditions.

8
CONTROL
Plants should not be irrigated after 15:00 pm and before 10:00 am.
Treat seedlings with fungicides.
Fumigation of the seedbed.
Ensure good seedbed preparation and practices to ensure aeration and
drying.

Black leg (Phoma lingam)

Black leg is seed-borne and it can infect the whole seedbed when an infected
seed germinates. The whole plant wilts when infected. White to light brown
lesions with a purple to black margin develop on the stem and on leaves. The
lesions have small black dots in the centre. The centre of the lesion gets
woody and cracks.

CONTROL
Use containerised seedlings.
Do fungicide treatment of seedbed.
Seedbeds should be situated far from old production fields.
Seedbed should be destroyed if leaf lesions are found.
All cabbage material remaining in seedbeds should be removed.
Remove of cruciferous weeds from production fields.
All debris should be removed after harvesting.

Bacterial leafspot (Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola)

Bacterial leafspot is more severe in cool, moist weather. The symptoms ini-
tially appear as small, faint, water-soaked areas on the underside of leaves.
The affected areas develop into brownish to purplish grey necrotic spots, fair-
ly irregular after a few days. They may coalesce to form large irregularly-
shaped spots. The leaf becomes wrinkled and the tissue may tear when the
lesions are many.

CONTROL
Do chemical control.
Plant tolerant or resistant cultivars.
Use disease-free seed or seed treated with hot water.
Practise crop rotation.
Avoid using sprinkler irrigation.

9
 Increase the interval between irrigation.
Control cruciferous weeds.
All infected plant material should be deep-ploughed.

Alternaria leaf spot (Alternaria spp.)

The disease is common during cool, rainy weather. Initially, symptoms appear
as small, dark areas and they rapidly enlarge to form large circular lesions that
develop a bulls-eye pattern or target spot. The lesions are dark brown during
wet periods. A brown, velvety, spore-bearing growth can be noticed on the
older lesions.

CONTROL
Use disease-free or treated seed
Removal or ploughing in plant refuse
Chemical control

10. Other cultivation practices

10.1 Harvesting maturity

The crop is harvested when the heads attain their full size and become firm
and hard but tender. The colour of the head is sometimes used as a maturity
index. A fully developed head has a lighter shade of green. The crop for pick-
ling should be harvested when the cover leaves curl back, and the white
leaves beneath are exposed. If harvesting is delayed, the heads may split and
rots may occur while the heads harvested early may be soft.

10.2 Harvesting methods

The crop for the fresh market is harvested by hand with a knife or sickle. Cab-
bage for storage and/or processing is harvested at once mechanically. The
heads should be cut off in such a way that a few of the large, open wrapper
leaves are left for protection around the heads. Harvesting should be such
that bruising of the heads is avoided as this makes them unattractive. Most of
the stem should be left on the head if the crop is to be stored.

10
Part iii: Post-harvest handling
Harvested produce should always be removed from direct sunlight and trans-
ported to the packing shed as soon as possible. Cabbage and leafy greens
are particularly susceptible to wilting and other damage from high tempera-
tures. When there is a delay of more than an hour or two between harvest and
packing, a water drench or spray arrangement can help prevent dehydration
and overheating.

1. Sorting and grading

The injured leaves should be removed.

2. Packing
Cabbage is packed in mesh pockets or sold loose.

3. Storage
The optimum storage temperature for cabbage is 0 C and relative humidity of
90 % to 95 %. Cabbage to be store should be mature and disease-free and
should not have been exposed to prolonged frost or cold. Further trimming
may be necessary, mainly to remove the discoloured butt upon removal from
storage.

4. Transport
Care must be taken that trucks are not overloaded on the bottom layers of
produce are crushed. Generally, the produce should be covered with a sheet
to prevent frosting or desiccation, but on warmer days, when sweating and
heating might occur, the sheet should be left off.

5. Marketing
Cabbage is sold in South African fresh produce markets and also exported,
mostly by commercial farmers.

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Part iv: Production schedules

ACTIVITIES

SEPTEMBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER
FEBRUARY

OCTOBER
JANUARY

AUGUST
MARCH

APRIL

JUNE

JULY
MAY
Soil sampling X X X X X X

Soil preparation X X X X X X X X X

Planting X X X X X X X X X

Fertilisation

Irrigation X X X X X X X X X

Pest control X X X X X X X X X

Disease control X XX X X X X X X X X X X

Weed control X X X X X X X X X X X

Leaf sampling X X X X X X

Harvesting X X X X X X X X X X X X

Marketing X X XX X X X X XX XX XX

Part v: Utilisation
The whole plant can be consumed cooked or raw as a salad.

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REFERENCES
Bosch, S
Bosch S.E.,
E Henrico
Henrico, P
P.J.
J & Wagner
Wagner, JJ.J.
J 1987
1987. The cultivation of cole crops
crops. Cole Crops
D.1/1987. Farming in South Africa.

Dickson, M.H. & Wallace, D.H. 1986. Cabbage Breeding. Pages 395 432. In: Breeding
Vegetable Crops. Bassett, M.J. (Ed). AVI Publishing Company, Inc. Connecticut.

Ghosh, S.P. & Madhavi, D.L. 1998. Cabbage. Pages 299 321. In Handbook of Vegetable
Science and Technology:
y Production, Composition, Storage and Processing. Salunkhe, D.K.
& Kadam, S.S. (Eds). Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York.

Hartmann, H.T., Kofranek, A.M., Rubatzky, V.E. & Flocker, W.J. 1988. Plant Science: Growth,
Development and Utilization of Cultivated Plants. 2nd Edition. Regents/ Prentice Hall. New
Jersey.

Hemy, C. 1984. Growing Vegetables in South Africa. MacMillan South Africa. Johannesburg.

http://www.nda.agric.za

Jackson, D.C. 1977. Fertilisation of cole crops. Cole Crops E.1/1977. Farming in South Africa.
Horticultural Research Institute, Pretoria.

Kochlar, S.L. 1986. Tropical Crops: a Textbook of Economic Botany.

y Macmillan Publishers.

KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs. 2001. Vegetable production

guidelines for KwaZulu-Natal. Pietermaritzburg.

Peirce L.C. 1987. Vegetables: Characteristics, Production, and Marketing. John Wiley and Sons.
New York.

Trench, T.N., Wilkinson, D.J. & Esterhuysen, S.P. 1992. South African Plant Disease Control
Handbook. Farmer Support Group, University of Natal. Pietermaritzburg.

Van Niekerk, A.C. 1983. The cultivation of cabbage. Cole Crops A/ 1983. Horticultural Research
Institute, Roodeplaat.

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