In the vegetable garden: System for the protection of brassica crops

Cruciferous crops are attacked by many diseases caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi. Of economic importance are the causal agents of mosaic, bacteriosis, damping-off in seedlings, clubroot, downy mildew, powdery mildew, black leaf spot and Sclerotinia (white) rot in cabbage.

Agrotechnical and organizational practices in seedling production

- Growing seedlings far from seed production and other cruciferous crops;

- Growing in a pathogen-free substrate;

- Disinfected pots, trays, etc.;

- Optimal soil moisture;

- Optimal seedling density; 

- Removal of the first diseased plants and their destruction far from the seedbeds;

- Treatment with plant protection products when necessary.

Agrotechnical and organizational practices after transplanting

- Transplanting healthy seedlings;

- Optimal crop density;

- Weed and volunteer control;

- Strict phytosanitary regime;

- Optimal soil moisture regime and optimal agrotechnics;

- Balanced fertilization;

- Monitoring for the occurrence and spread of pests;

- Introduction of crop rotations;

- Mechanical collection of severely affected plant parts with disease spots and their destruction;

- Treatment with plant protection products. Alternation of plant protection products with different functional groups to prevent resistance;

- Application of plant protection products with a short pre-harvest interval during the harvesting period.

The pest control system for cruciferous crops is published in issue 6/2018 of the journal “Plant Protection”.