Search

Vegetable Brassica crops are an important and highly diverse group of crops grown world-wide that belong mainly to the species Brassica oleracea and Brassica rapa. Brassicas are widespread as wild, weedy and cultivated forms throughout Turkey. It has a significant place in world vegetable production. Turkey is the fourth largest producer country after China, India and the United States in terms of world vegetable production. Brassicaceae is one of the most important cultivated families in Turkey. The total production of Brassica vegetable species in Turkey was 995.294 t in 2015. Cabbages are the most economically important member of the genus Brassica. Cabbage and kale are traditionally grown and in consumed for many years in Turkey. It can be consumed in different ways. White head cabbage is the most important Brassica cultivated in Turkey; its production has the largest quantity (514.344 t). It is followed by cauliflower (182.266 t), red head cabbage (178.679 t), kale (71.118 t), broccoli (46.353 t) and Brussels sprouts (2.534 t). Broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are new cultivars in Turkey during the last 25-30 years. There are over 400 different commercial cultivars of cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli in Turkey. Hybrid cultivars are commonly used in the cultivation of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, whereas open pollinated cultivars are only used in cultivation of kale. Farmers have maintained the local population of kale, which are mainly sold in local markets. The aim of this review is to present Brassica vegetable crops status in Turkey, the growing techniques and problems of the species, and the probable utilization of the presented species. This detailed overview will give an insight for agricultural scientists regarding the up to date situation with the Brassica vegetable species production potential in Turkey, and provide information about the species. © 2018 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.

A field experiment was conducted to assess greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential in response to organic fertilizer application. These experiments were conducted using the static chamber method and gas chromatography in an intensive vegetable field with 10 consecutive vegetable crops in 2011 and 2014 in south-eastern China. Three treatments were implemented as CONT (no fertilizer), CHEM (conventional chemical fertilizer), and ORGA (organic fertilizer). Results revealed that there was no significant difference in cumulative N2O emissions between CHEM and ORGA treatments though CHEM and ORGA treatments emitted significantly more N2O than CONT treatment. The highest cumulative CH4 emission (72.2 kg C ha-1) was observed in the ORGA treatment, followed by the CHEM treatment (56.3 kg C ha-1) and CONT treatment (39.8 kg C ha-1). The application of organic fertilizer significantly increased the yield by 30.3% and decreased the yield-scaled N2O emissions by 51.0% compared with those parameters in CHEM. Due to higher yield, ORGA decreased GHGI by 28.1% relative to CHEM although no significant difference in GWP was observed. The results enlighten us that the reasonable application of organic fertilizer can gain higher yield and higher environmental benefits at the same time in an intensively managed vegetable field.

Cauliflower is one of the most intensive vegetable crops in Germany. Production system analysis provides important information for the assessment of innovation potential. In this paper, typical cauliflower production systems in Germany are reviewed. Data collection included 52 interviews with farm managers covering details such as the production area, cultivation program and natural location factors, as well as field operations, technology used, the required labour, and resources. Data on yields, prices, marketing fees and surcharges were collected. The production systems were grouped by size as the most important differentiating factor. Four different production systems were established from small to very large. Results show that larger production systems are equipped with bigger machinery and more advanced technologies. Tillage, fertilisation, plant protection and irrigation were similar. Economies of scale can be observed through mechanisation and labour cost decreased with production volume. High output prices are the main reason for income and the gross margin to increase with production volume.

Occurrence, detection and molecular characterization of leaf curl virus infecting tomato, both under open and net house conditions were studied at the Research Farm of the Department of Vegetable Crops, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India. The samples were tested for the presence of begomovirus using universal primers. Out of 42 samples studied, 20 samples were found to be positive for the begomovirus. Further, the positive samples were subjected to begomovirus identification using begomovirus specific primers, reported from India. Among them Tomato leaf curl Palampur virus (ToLCPMV) was the most prevalent virus (18 samples) followed by Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) (11 samples), while, mix infection of ToLCNDV and ToLCPMV was found in a significant number of samples (9 samples). For core coat protein gene amplification, out of 20 samples, only 8 samples were able to amplify the desired product size (approximaltely870 bp). For the satellite DNA (DNA s), only 7 samples showed desired amplification (approximaltely1.35 kb), of which, 5 samples were having mix infection of ToLCPMV and ToLCNDV. This further proves association of DNA s with bipartite begomoviruses, causing leaf curl disease in tomato.

The research outlined in this paper highlights the importance of the early nutrition of vegetable crops, and its long-term effects on their subsequent growth and development. Results are also presented to demonstrate how the nutrient supply during the establishment stages of young seedlings and transplants can be enhanced by targeting fertiliser to a zone close to their developing roots. Three different precision fertiliser placement techniques are compared for this purpose: starter, band or side-injected fertiliser. The use of each of these methods consistently produced the same (or greater) yields at lower application rates than those from conventional broadcast applications, increasing the apparent recovery of N, P and K, and the overall efficiency of nutrient use, while reducing the levels of residual nutrients in the soil. Starter fertilisers also advanced the maturity of some crops, and enhanced produce quality by increasing the proportions of the larger and/or more desirable marketable grades. The benefits of the different placement techniques are illustrated with selected examples from research at Warwick HRI using different vegetable crops, including lettuce, onion and carrot.

In a desk study and in a climate chamber experiment we explored the rationale behind the low or even negative correlation between recommended P(hosphorus)-application rates and P-off-take in the Netherlands. We hypothesized that especially for short growing vegetable crops it will be necessary to maintain in the early growth stages a high P-concentration in the soil solution, despite the relatively low P-off-take at harvest. Although the daily P-demand of the crop is low immediately after germination, actual P-uptake might be limited by root length. Placement of P is then a strategy to achieve a more efficient P-fertilization. The fact that P-resources in the future will become scarce will encourage such a strategy. The interaction between soil P-fertility, rooting, P-demand and placement of P was explored with a simulation model. Placement turned out to be very effective to realize the required P-uptake in the early growth stages, more effective than increasing the P-soil fertility status. The effect of placement of P-fertilizer was verified in a climate chamber experiment. In a pot experiment P-fertilization by placement (0, 4, 13 kg P ha-1 in 3% of the soil volume) was compared with 87 kg P ha-1 mixed homogeneously through the entire soil volume. Placement stimulated juvenile growth to a great extent in several crops (including carrots, spinach, onion). Placement was equally or even more effective than the broadcasted treatment indicating that P-placement can potentially lead to a large reduction in the use of P-fertilizer. It opens the possibility to maintain crop productivity and quality at lower P-fertility levels of the soil, thereby saving valuable P-resources for the future.

Twelve cabbage genotypes, eight experimental lines and four cultivars developed at Vegetable Department of Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad have been studied. Method of horizontal electrophoresis on starch gel was used to analyze the following enzymic systems: malate dehydrogenase (MDH), phosphohexose isomerase (PHI), phosphoglucoso dehydrogenase (PGD), phosphoglucomutase (PGM), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). PHI and PGD enzymes were polymorphic. Different alelles were identified in the cabbage varieties and genetic uniformity was achieved in the lines. These results have practical application in breeding, i.e., in the choice of parent combinations of cabbage hybrids. It was concluded on the basis of the isozyme study of the experimental material that enzyme

A discussion is presented about the patterns in the present year-round supply of vegetables to large cities in the Red River Delta in North Vietnam. Especially during the hot summer season, vegetables are supplied from Dalat in South Vietnam or from Kunming Province in China. Generally speaking, importing vegetables from far away areas or foreign countries adds considerable cost to the product, while extensive transportation decreases product quality or limits the number of products that can be supplied. Aiming for more attractive consumer pricing, an increase in product quality and year-round product availability, options are explored for the regional year-round supply of vegetables from North Vietnam itself. The discussion is based on the agro-ecology of vegetable crops, on market opportunities during the year and on environmental considerations. It is argued that most of the vegetables presently available in the Red River Delta can be supplied from areas in North Vietnam itself. Special attention is given to environmental considerations to ensure sustainable production

Ecological and environmental diversity in Serbia and Montenegro, and various orographic and climate characteristics make this area an extraordinary floristic resource (Stevanovic et al., 1995), with great diversity of plant species, and among them vegetables. For some vegetable species this area is primary (Brassicae, lettuce, carrot, leek, beet) and for some secondary (garlic) centre of domestication. About 30 vegetable species are being grown in large areas, intensively in monoculture, which is a rather small number (only 20%). The potential for growing and consumption is 150 species (Grlic, 1980). Most of them are wild, uncultivated plants, which contain much more minerals and vitamins than cultivated plants (Fritz, 1989). Therefore, the potential of diversification of vegetable crops in Serbia and Montenegro is high. Possible sources for diversification are wild, uncultivated vegetable crops with their high nutritive value, minimally, or non consumed at all; forgotten vegetable species, more popular for nutrition in past; exotic vegetable species gown in other geographic areas; new-created cultivars of well-known vegetable species improved by breeding or genetic engineering (now the most common way); growing or use of new vegetable species.

In modern horticulture, growers are searching for reliable biosensors and diagnostic tools to evaluate plant eco-physiological behaviour in order to optimize plant growth and crop development. One of these biosensors is the linear variable displacement transducer (LVDT) which accurately measures stem diameter variations. The variations of stem diameter reflect the combination of two main phenomena: irreversible radial stem growth and daily shrinkage and swelling of the elastic stem cells due to changes in internally stored water. A correct interpretation of the composite LVDT-signal, with respect to its practical application, requires an unambiguous distinction between these two components of the signal. This paper describes a comprehensive model for stem diameter variations which includes a mechanistic description of radial stem growth and elastic stem diameter changes related to changes in internally stored water. Using the results of a two-year-old beech tree (Fagus sylvatica), the practical application of the model is illustrated with measured LVDT-signals where radial stem growth and elastic changes of the stem could be distinguished. As this approach is also applicable to other ornamental or vegetable crops, the model can be considered as a very powerful tool for interpretation of the composite and complex origin of the variations in stem diameter as is observed with LVDTs.