2. Seed production techniques in Cole
crops
P. J. Devaraju
Professor and Head
Dept of Seed Science and Technology
GKVK, UAS Bengaluru.

3. • Cole crops are the group of related vegetables belonging to the family
Brassicaceae.
• The word 'Cole’ is derived from Latin word `Caulis’ which means stem.
• The term Cole was used to refer the group of highly differentiated plants
originating from a single wild form known as “Cole Warts”.
• This group of crops are recognized by the unique cross-shaped, yellow
flowers hence, they called as Crucifers (Cruciferae).
• Origin: Mediterranean region
Introduction

4. Important Cole crops
Kale
Cabbage
Cauliflower Knol Kohl
Brussels sprouts
Sprouting broccoli

5. Crops Scientific name
Chromosome
no.(2n)
Type of pollination
Plant part
used
Cabbage Brassica oleraceae (L)
var. capitata
18 Cross pollination
(73 %)
Head
Cauliflower Brassica oleraceae (L)
var. botrytis.L
18 Cross pollination
(70 %)
Curd
Knol khol Brassica oleraceae (L)
var. gongylodes
18 Cross pollination
(91 %)
Swollen
stem
Brussels Brassica oleraceae (L)
var. gemnifera
18 Cross pollination
(72 %)
Sprouts
Sprouting
broccoli
Brassica oleraceae (L)
var. italica
18 Cross pollination
(95 %)
Flower
heads
Kale Brassica oleraceae (L)
var. acephala
18 Cross pollination
(83 %)
Top leaves

6. IMPORTANCE
• Low in carbohydrates, fats, calories.
• Good source of protein (balanced), minerals, vitamin A, vitamin C and
vitamin D.
• Known for anticancer properties (-indole -3-carbinol).
• Cabbage juice: against poisonous mushroom.
• Flavor compound : sinigrin
• Includes antioxidants – ascorbic acid, tocopherols, carotenoids,
isothiocyanates, indoles, flavanoids.

7. Inflorescence
• Inflorescence of crucifer is Raceme
• Numerous small yellow/white flowers with
• 4 petals, 6 stamens, of which 2 are short and other 4 stamens are
longer than the style and
• Single superior ovary.
• The stigma receptive even 5 days before and 4 days after anthesis.
• Flowers are protogynous in nature.
• Major pollinators are honey bees and blowflies

8. Method of seed production in cabbage
Cabbage requires two seasons to produce seeds.
In the first season the heads are produced and in the following season
seed production follows.
Two methods are followed
1. In situ method - for certified seed production
(Seed to seed method)
2. Transplanting method for nucleus seed production
(Head to seed method)

9. Images of seed production methods

10. Images of cabbage seed production

11. Conti…
In situ method
• In this method, the crop is allowed to over winter and produce seeds
in their original position, where they are first planted.
• It is commonly used for foundation and certified seed production.
Transplanting method
• In this method the matured plants are uprooted and the outer whorls
removed.
• Then the plants are replanted in a well prepared new field.
• In cabbage, during seed production, three methods have been
followed to facilitate flowering and seed production.

12. Images of seed production methods

13. Stump method
• When the crop in the first season (fully matured), the heads
are examined for true to type.
• The plants with off type heads are removed.
• Then the heads are cut just below the base by means of a
sharp knife, keeping the stem with outer whorl of leaves
intact.
• The beheaded portion of the plant is called 'stump'.

14. Conti….
• The stumps are either left in situ or replanted in the second season.
• After over wintering (dormancy breaking), the buds sprouts from the
axis of all the leaves and leaf scars.
Advantages
• Gives extra income by way of sale of heads
• Crop matures 12 to 15 days earlier
• Seed yield is slightly high.
Disadvantage.
• Flower stalks are decumbent and requires heavy staking.

15. Stump with central core intact method
• When the crop is fully matured in first season, off type plants are
removed and rejected.
• When the head start bursting after over wintering, two vertical cross
cuts are given to the head, taking care that the central growing point
is not injured.
• In the absence of such cuts, the heads burst out irregularly and
sometimes the growing tip is broken.

16. Conti….
Advantages
• Shoots arising from main stem are not decumbent hence,
heavy staking is not required.
• Seed yield is high.
Disadvantages
• The chopped heads cannot be marketed.

17. Head intact method
• In this method, when the crop is fully mature in first season, the
heads are examined for true to type.
• The plants with off type heads are removed from the field and
rejected.
• The head is kept intact and only a cross cut is given to facilitate the
emergence of stalk.

18. Cont……
Advantages
• Saves time and labour.
• heavy staking is not required.
Disadvantages
• Seed yield is slightly low as compared to other methods.

19. Vernalization
The induction of flowering by prolonged
exposure to low temperatures, as during the
winter in a temperate climate.
Mature vegetative plants, which are uprooted
in autumn from the fields, potted and over
wintered in a green house at temperatures
between 5-10 °C
Or they can be stored in trenches of the size of
3 m x 1 m x 1 m. Cabbage plants are stored in
slanting position. The trenches are covered
with the wooden planks.
Heads are allowed to vernalize for 2 to 3
months at temperatures between 5-10 °C.
Sharma, 2015

20. Method of seed production in cauliflower
Step-1: Selection of an healthy, true to
type curd
Step-2: Sterilization. All the apparatus
to be used for curd scooping i.e. knife;
forceps etc.
Step-3: Selection of curd and removing
the central portion of the curd.
To facilitate bolting, different curd-
cutting methods like scooping, half curd
cutting and curd pruning are
recommended. These practices have
impact on branching, seed yield and
seed quality.

21. • Step-4: Cleaning.
After removing the core portion of the curd
the wounds will be cleaned gently
• Step-5: Protection from fungal infection
using ‘Indofil’ or ‘Mancozeb’
• Step-6: Nursing:
After removing the core portion of the
cauliflower curd, proper nursing is need to
be provided through side dressing of
chemical fertilizer and organic manure.
Seed production at early bolting stage. Seed Production at advance bolting stage

22. Special approaches (practices to increase yield)
1. Blanching:
• It is done to protect the curd from
discoloration caused by the sun.
• Leaves are tied over curds with coded
strings or rubber bands
• Blanching should begin about one week
before harvest.
• Self-blanching varieties are available,
ex: snowball
2. Tying: is done to keep heads white,
leaves are usually gathered around the
head at about the time that they are 2
cm in diameter.
Discolored curd

23. Disbudding & Staking
• After the production of the desired number of siliqua the
terminal part of each of the fruit stalks (peduncles) will be
snapped to ensure better growth of the fruits and the seeds
within it.
• At this stage staking will be provided to the plants with
suitable size sticks.

24.  Self incompatibility: SI refers to the inability of a plant to set seed upon self
pollination despite male and female gamete is viable, there is no seed set in self
pollination
 Heteromorphic system
• Pin type
• Thrum type
 Homomorphic system
• Sporophytic self incompatibility (SSI)
i.e. (Cole crops)
• Gametophytic self incompatibility (GSI)
24
In Brassica sps, the exploitation of heterosis is
mainly through the Sporophytic self
incompatibility

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Basic steps in the use of SSI
Identification of self-incompatible plants in diverse
population/genotypes
Development of homozygous self-incompatible lines
Identification of S-alleles in the homozygous self-
incompatible lines
Detection of Establishment of inter-allelic relationships
among the S-alleles
Maintenance of parental self-
incompatible lines
Commercial hybrid seed production

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27. Crop Name of Hybrid Type of Genetic
Mechanism (Parentage)
Developing Institution
Cabbage Pusa Cabbage
Hybrid-1
Self-Incompatibility
(PCH-1=83-1-621 x GA-111)
IARI regional station,
Katrain
Cabbage H-43, H-44
Self-Incompatibility
(H-43=S2S2 x Pusa Mukta)
(H-44=S2S2 x Cornell 83-6)
IARI regional station,
Katrain
Cauliflower
Pusa Hybrid-2
Pusa Kartik Sankar
Self-Incompatibility
(Pusa Hybrid-2=CC x 18-19)
(Pusa Kartik Sankar= CC 14 x
41-5)
IARI, New Delhi
Cauliflower
Xiahua 6
( heat-resistant )
Self-incompatibility
Xiamen Agricultural
Research Institute of
Sciences, China, 2006
27

28. CMS is a maternally inherited trait encoded by a gene located in the
mitochondria.
Expression of a mitochondrial CMS gene can be masked by nuclear
fertility restorer (Rf) genes, allowing the plant to produce functional
pollen (Ogura 1968).
CMS Lines CMS Lines in Brassica sps
rr RR

29. Brassica napus × Raphanus sativus
Transfer of Ogura CMS into B. napus by
intergeneric hybridization and repeated back-
crossing.
Brassica napus Male sterile with lack of Rf nuclear gene but
produce a had chlorotic leaves at low temp.
Brassica napus × Brassica napus (normal)
Plants without chlorophyll deficiency
but retaining the male sterility.
Brassica napus
Ogura CMS system
Repeated back-cross
Hiroshi and Shripad, 2014
Ogura cytoplasmic male sterility

30. Crop Name of
Hybrid
Type of Genetic
Mechanism (Parentage)
Developing
Institution
Cabbage KCH-5 Ogura CMS IARI Regional
Station,
Katrain
Cabbage H-11, H-
46
CMS
(H11 = Cornell 83-23 x Golden acre),
(H46 = Cornell 83-24 x Golden acre)
IARI Regional
Station,
Katrain
30Hiroshi and Shripad, 2014

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Discovery Cabbage Drumhead Cabbage
Early jersey
Wakefield Cabbage
Ferry’s round
Dutch Cabbage
Glory of Enkhulzen
cabbage
Cabbage varietiesGolden Acre cabbage Red Acre Cabbage
Beauty perfect cabbageGolden Cross cabbage
All Season cabbage Brunswick cabbage
Charleston Wakefield
Cabbage
Copenhagen market
Cabbage
Danish Ball head
Cabbage
Red Express
Cabbage
Earliana Cabbage
King Slaw Cabbage

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Blues Chinese cabbage
China express Chinese
cabbage
Jade Pagoda Chinese
cabbage
Joi Choi Chinese
Cabbage
Ching Chiang
Chinese Cabbage
Pae Choi Chinese
Cabbage
Monument Chinese
cabbage
Michi hill Chinese
cabbage
Wong Bok Chinese
cabbage
Rubicon Chinese Cabbage
Taisai Chinese Cabbage
Chinese Cabbage varieties
Mej Qing Choi
chinese cabbage

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All the year round
Cauliflower
Brocoverde Cauliflower
Cheddar Cauliflower
Early A Snowball
Cauliflower
Early dawn Cauliflower
Graffiti Cauliflower
Purple Cape Cauliflower
Snow Crown Cauliflower
Snowball self-blanching
Cauliflower
Violet queen Cauliflower
Snowball Y improved cauliflower
Cauliflower varieties
Arka kranthi

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Early purple Vienna Kohlrabi Early White Vienna Kohlrabi
Kolibri Kohlrabi
Grand Duke Kohlrabi
Granlibakken Kohlrabi
Kossak KohlrabiSuperschmelz Kohlrabi
Gigante Kohlrabi
Knol khol varieties

36. • The seed crop should be harvested when most of the pods
turn yellow-brown. After that pods are dried and threshed
for seeds.
• Cauliflower- 300-400 kg/ha,
• Cabbage - 400-500 kg/ha ,
• Knol khol - 400 kg/ha.
Seed Yield
Prabhakar Singh et al., 2010
Harvesting

38. Reference
• HEMANT KHULBE, PRABHA SHANKAR SHUKLA, DEEPA
KHULBE AND SHAMBHOO PRASAD., 2010, Effect of
Curd Size on Seed Yield of Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var.
botrytis L.).Bioscan.,3 (2): 130-132.
• MONIRUZZAMAN, M., FIROZ, Z. A., RASHID1 AND HALIM,
G. M., 2007,Effect of planting time and curd scooping on seed
production of cauliflower var. ‘BARI FUL KAPI-1’. J.
Sci.technol. 5: 67-73.
• GEORGE NYARKO, PETER, G., ALDERSON AND JIM
CRAIGON., 2006, Promotion of vigour in cabbage seed by
osmotic priming pretreatment at both vernalisation and
nonvernalisation temperatures. J. Hortil. Sci. Biotechnology.,
81 (6) 971–974.

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