Cauliflower is a cool-season crop and a descendant of the common cabbage. It is more difficult to than its relatives because it does not tolerate the heat or cold as well. For this reason, cauliflower is usually grown commercially.This crop also gets affected by various diseases which may cause damage to the crop. Cauliflower diseases should be properly identified and managed for good cultivation and yield.
Major Cauliflower diseases are:-
1.Downy Mildew: Peronospora parasitic
Symptom:
- Downy mildew can cause much of a field of milk-white cauliflower curds to develop superficial discoloured spots that render the disease damage heads unmarketable.
Management:
- Seed treatment with Metalaxyl (Apron 6g/kg)
- Foliar spray with Metalaxyl (Ridomil) @ 0.4 %
2.Wire stem: Rhizoctonia solani
Symptom:
- Wirestem 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 seedlings unsuitable for transplanting since many of the affected plants will die or grow poorly.
Management:
- Sterilised soil and seedbed drenches with Copper oxychloride 0.25% will give good disease control.
Source-
- TamilNadu Agritech Portal
