This document provides information on the production technology of cauliflower. It discusses the origin, major producing countries and states of cauliflower. It describes the botanical details, varieties, soil and climatic requirements, cultivation practices like nursery raising, transplanting, manuring, irrigation, blanching, harvesting and post-harvest handling of cauliflower. It also discusses the yield, grading, important disorders and diseases of cauliflower.

1. PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY OF
CAULIFLOWER
HOR 311- PRODUCTION
TECHNOLOGY OF VEGETABLE &
SPICE CROPS (2+1)
Course Teacher: Dr.Suganthi
By
GEERTHANA.S

2. Common name: Cauliflower
Scientific name: Brassica oleracea L. var.
botrytis
Family : Brassicaceae
Order : Crucuferae
Tribe : Brassicae
Sub-tribe : Brassica
Origin : England (Dr. Jemson)
Chromosome no.: 2n=18
Latin word CAULIS- STEM FLORIS- FLOWER

3. AREA & PRODUCTION
Largest producer- India
Major producing states- West Bengal (26%), Bihar (17%),
Madhya Pradesh (10%), Orissa (10%), Gujarat (8%), Haryana
(7%), Assam (6%) and Maharashtra (3%)
IMPORTANCE & USES
Used as cooked vegetable
Used for the preparation of
pakoras
Grated cauliflower used to
prepare stuffed parathas
Preparation pickles with other
vegetables

5. Difference b/w Indian and European Cauliflower
Characteristics Indian Cauliflower European Cauliflower
Heat tolerance Yes No
Curd formation at 20-27ᵒC 5-20ᵒC
Maturity Early Late
Variability More Less
Self compatibility Strong Less or No
Curd color & flavour Yellow & Strong White & Mild
Juvenility Short Long
Requirement of
vernalization
No need but requires cold
treatment @ 10-13ᵒC for 6
weeks
Require vernalization @
7ᵒC for 8-10 weeks

6. BOTANY
 Seeds – head shaped
 Head of cauliflower-CURD –tightly packed
flower buds that have not developed
 4 petals,6 stamens(2-short & 4- long)
 Special pod- SILIQUA

7. EARLY VARIETIES
Early Kunwari
Pusa early synthetic- Main season variety
Pant Gobhi-3- curds medium sized & solid
white
Pusa Deepali-self-blanching,free from
riceyness
Pant Gobhi-2

8.  Improved Japanese-Introduction from Israel
 Pusa Hybrid-2 – resistant to Downy
Mildew
 Pusa Sharad – semi-dome shaped
 Pant Gobi-4-hemispherical creamy
white,non-ricey curds
MID-EARLY
VARIETIES

9.  Pusa Synthetic
 Pant Shubhra- curd slightly conical &
creamish white
 Pusa Himjyoti-self-blanched
 Punjab Jiant 35
MID-LATE VARIETIES

10.  Pusa Snowball
 Pusa Snowball K 1
 Ooty 1- Suitable for growing in hilly
regions of TN above 1,800 MSL
LATE VARIETIES

11. SOIL:
• Sandy to heavy soils
• Early crops-light soil; Late crops-heavy soil
• pH 5.5-6.5
• Plants growing in saline soils are prone to
diseases
CLIMATE:
• Thermo-sensitive crop
• High temperature during maturity –yellow leafy
curds
• Seed germination-10-21ᵒC
• Growth & curd formation- 15-21ᵒC

12. BOLTING
• Premature formation of seed stalks
• Fluctuating temp. induce some cultivars which
have started heading, to revert vegetative
phase – poor quality curds
• Early crop-500-600 gm seeds
• Mid & late crops- 350-400 gm seeds
SEED RATE

13. TRANSPLANTING
Germinated seeds are transplanted after 30-40
days of sowing
SPACING- Early Varieties 60*30 cm
Mid & late season varieties 60*45 cm

14. Manures & Fertilizers:
25-30 tons of FYM
100-150: 60-80:80 kg NPK per ha
Later 1-2% urea is sprayed –enhance plant
growth(@ 7-10 days interval on young plants)
Irrigation:
10-12 days interval
Over watering & water logging should be
avoided

15. BLANCHING
• The developing curd of the spreading plant type is often covered with
the leaves of cauliflower removed from the plant or by tyeing the
upper leaves for blanching the curd so that it does not become
yellowish when exposed to the sunlight.
• The ultraviolet rays of the sunlight affect the curd colour. In the erect
or semi-erect plant types of late varieties the small terminal leaves
cover the developing curd and protect it from sunlight.
• The market demands cauliflower which is pure white or pale cream in
colour. Heads exposed to sunlight develop a yellow and/or red
pigment.
• The usual method to exclude light is to tie the outer leaves when the
curd is 8 cm in diameter. Leaves may also be broken over the curd to
prevent yellowing.
• In hot weather blanching may take 3 to 4 days, but in cool weather, 8
to 12 days or more may be required. The new orange and purple-
coloured cauliflower curds generally do not require blanching.

16. MANUAL
BLANCHING
SELF-
BLANCHING
VARIETY

17. YIELD:
Sorting and Grading
• Harvesting of cauliflower-7 March
• Cauliflower should be harvested when the head is approximately 15 cm in
diameter, the curds are compact and white, the leaves are still healthy and
green.
• Harvested cauliflower for the fresh market is cut at the base of the head.
The spreading leaves are removed; leaves that wrap around the head are
trimmed 5 cm above the head for protection of the curd.
• The heads are then cleaned, packed into cartons and then shipped to the
cooler. Sometimes the heads are wrapped in perforated plastic. If the
heads are wrapped in plastic, the carton is cooled by hydrovac.
• If the heads are not wrapped in plastic, the carton is cooled by hydro-
cooling. Cauliflower is packed with 6, 8, 9, 12, 15, 18 or 22 heads per
cardboard box.
• Nine or 12 heads per carton are the most desirable size. Cauliflower that is
to be processed is packed into bulk bins and shipped to the packinghouse.
In the packinghouse cauliflower is inspected for defects, trimmed, washed
with mildly chlorinated water and then packaged. Most cauliflower is
freshly processed and cut into florets for bagging, some cauliflower is
processed for pickling.
Early variety 10-12 tons
Mid & late season variety 20-30 tons

18. IMPORTANT
DISORDERS
• Riceyness
• Fuzziness
• Leafy curds
• Blindness
• Buttoning
• Chlorosis
• Hollow stem
• Browning
• Whiptail
• Damping off
• Leaf spot & Blight or
Black spot
• Club root
• Stalk rot
• Downy mildew
• Rhizoctonia
• Black Rot
IMPORTANT
DISEASES

24. CAULLINIVAR

26. Post-harvest control:
 Cauliflower should be handled carefully to avoid
bruising and damage that will leave the plant
susceptible to infection.
Plants must be thoroughly cleaned and stored at
a low temperature, typically 4 °C.
It is important to keep the storage facility free of
soft rot bacteria by immediately destroying any
infected plants and maintaining a clean facility.