Cole Crops
Cole Crops
There are the crop which belongs to the genus Brassica of the cruciferaceae family. They are essentially cold weather, hardy crops and thrive best in cool weather, hardy crops and thrive best in cool moist season.
They are generally grown throughout India during winter season. In summer season they are grown in pats of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh Maharashtra and Nilgiri Hills in Madras. According to Choudhary ( 1967) all crops of this group have developed from wild cliff cabbage, also known as Cole worts, from which the name ‘ Cole ‘ has been given. These crops if grown under warm conditions, the produce becomes pungent due to development of a glucocide called Sinigrin Containing Sculpture.
Though the crops of hills groups are unlike in vegetative character, yet they are similar in floral character and they can be readily crossed. The cultural requirement for all the crops are almost similar and many of the same diseases and insect attack there all.
Cole crop as a Group Includes:
1. Cauliflower: Brassica oleracea var. botrytis.
2. White Cabbage: B. Oleeraceas var. capitata.
3. Khol Rabi: B. Caulorapa.
4. Sprouting Broccoli: B. Oleracea var. italic.
5. Brussels Sprout: B. oleracea var. gemmifera.
6. Chirese Cabbage: B. Chinesis.
7. Kale: B. oleracea var. acephala.
These crops are produced by transplanting and they do not set seeds in the plains except the early varieties of cauliflower.