Cultivar Selection and Pest Control Techniques on Organic White Cabbage Yield

Vasile V Stoleru,Carmen Maria V Stoleru,Liliana G Rotaru,Neculai C Munteanu

doi:10.15835/nbha4027993

Vasile V Stoleru, Carmen Maria V Stoleru + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha4027993

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Abstract

In Romania, as in many other countries, white cabbage is one of the most important vegetable crop species. The experiment was performed in the NE of the country during 2008-2009 in order to measure the impact of cultivar choice and pest control techniques on organic white cabbage [Brassica oleracea (L.) var. capitata f. alba (D.C.)]. This experiment included early, summer and autumn crops. The early crop compared four cultivars, the summer crop two cultivars, and the autumn crop three cultivars. The effect of various common organic pest control techniques was also measured. These techniques included: treatments with extract from neem (Azadirachta indica), potassium soap, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki toxins, application of a parasitic wasp (Trichogramma evanescens) and covering the crop with an agrotextile. Data were collected regarding the effect of cultivar selection and pest control technique on common local cabbage pests: cabbage flea beetle (Phyllotreta atra), cabbage fly (Delia brassicae), cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae) and cabbage butterfly (Pieris brassicae). The highest yields for each respective growing season were obtained using the following combinations: Flavius agrotextile (early crop), Copenhagen Market agrotextile + 4 lha-1 azadirachtin + 12104 wasps/ha (summer crop) and Buzau 4 lha-1 azadirachtin (autumn crop).

Highlights

The main goals of organic farming are the preservation of agricultural ecosystems and the sustainable production of healthy products for consumers
The degree of attack of the cabbage aphid on the early crop ranged from 0.8% for ‘Flavius‘ with agrotextile, up to 1.7% for ‘Ditmark’ with 4 l·ha-1 azadirachtin
The highest level of the total production of the early crops was obtained in the case of the ‘Flavius’ F1 cultivar, when the covering system with Agryl P17 was used as a defense measure (32.57 t/ha)

Summary

Introduction

The main goals of organic farming are the preservation of agricultural ecosystems and the sustainable production of healthy products for consumers. These goals are achieved through natural environmental conditions and applied cultural practices (Munteanu et al, 2008). Field cultivation of organic white cabbage depends heavily on a series of properly applied cultural practices, including the choice of land (Pfiffner et al, 2009), crop rotation (Stoian, 2005), cultivar selection (Greenland et al, 2000), manure and fertilizer application (Stoleru and Imre, 2007), and weed, pest and disease control (Bianchi et al, 2005, Fatouros and Huigens, 2012, Furlong et al, 2008, Pfiffner et al, 2009). Romania aims to reduce the use of synthetic chemical pesticides, and in this sense, the approach is beneficial to organic systems, which favors maintaining the natural balance between pests and the useful fauna (Stoian, 2005)

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