GLOBAL WARMING

 

Q:      What causes global warming?

A:

Carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up. Coal-burning power plants are the largest U.S. source of carbon dioxide pollution -- they produce 2.5 billion tons every year. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually.
Here's the good news: technologies exist today to make cars that run cleaner and burn less gas, modernize power plants and generate electricity from nonpolluting sources, and cut our electricity use through energy efficiency. The challenge is to be sure these solutions are put to use.

 

Q:      Is the earth really getting hotter?

A:

Yes. Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. And experts think the trend is accelerating: the 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1990. Scientists say that unless we curb global warming emissions, average U.S. temperatures could be 3 to 9 degrees higher by the end of the century.

 

Q:      Are warmer temperatures causing bad things to happen?

A:

Global warming is already causing damage in many parts of the United States. In 2002, Colorado, Arizona and Oregon endured their worst wildfire seasons ever. The same year, drought created severe dust storms in Montana, Colorado and Kansas, and floods caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damage in Texas, Montana and North Dakota. Since the early 1950s, snow accumulation has declined 60 percent and winter seasons have shortened in some areas of the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington.
Of course, the impacts of global warming are not limited to the United States. In 2003, extreme heat waves caused more than 20,000 deaths in Europe and more than 1,500 deaths in India. And in what scientists regard as an alarming sign of events to come, the area of the Arctic's perennial polar ice cap is declining at the rate of 9 percent per decade.

 

Q:      Is global warming making hurricanes worse?

A:

Global warming doesn't create hurricanes, but it does make them stronger and more dangerous. Because the ocean is getting warmer, tropical storms can pick up more energy and become more powerful. So global warming could turn, say, a category 3 storm into a much more dangerous category 4 storm. In fact, scientists have found that the destructive potential of hurricanes has greatly increased along with ocean temperature over the past 35 years.

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Q:      Is there really cause for serious concern?

A:

Yes. Global warming is a complex phenomenon, and its full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance. But each year scientists learn more about how global warming is affecting the planet, and many agree that certain consequences are likely to occur if current trends continue. Among these:

• Melting glaciers, early snowmelt and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages in the American West.
  
• Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding on the Eastern seaboard, in Florida, and in other areas, such as the Gulf of Mexico.
  
• Warmer sea surface temperatures will fuel more intense hurricanes in the southeastern Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
  
• Forests, farms and cities will face troublesome new pests and more mosquito-borne diseases.
  
• Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and alpine meadows could drive many plant and animal species to extinction.
  

 

Q:       What country is the largest source of global warming pollution?

A:

The United States. Though Americans make up just 4 percent of the world's population, we produce 25 percent of the carbon dioxide pollution from fossil-fuel burning -- by far the largest share of any country. In fact, the United States emits more carbon dioxide than China, India and Japan, combined. Clearly America ought to take a leadership role in solving the problem. And as the world's top developer of new technologies, we are well positioned to do so -- we already have the know-how.

 

Q:      How can we cut global warming pollution?

A:

It's simple: By reducing pollution from vehicles and power plants. Right away, we should put existing technologies for building cleaner cars and more modern electricity generators into widespread use. We can increase our reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind, sun and geothermal. And we can manufacture more efficient appliances and conserve energy.

 

Q:      Why aren't these technologies more commonplace now?

A:

Because, while the technologies exist, the corporate and political will to put them into widespread use does not. Many companies in the automobile and energy industries put pressure on the White House and Congress to halt or delay new laws or regulations -- or even to stop enforcing existing rules -- that would drive such changes. From requiring catalytic converters to improving gas mileage, car companies have fought even the smallest measure to protect public health and the environment. If progress is to be made, the American people will have to demand it.

 

Q:      Do we need new laws requiring industry to cut emissions of global warming pollution?

A:

Yes. Voluntary reduction programs have failed to stop the growth of emissions. Even leaders of major corporations, including companies such as DuPont, Alcoa and General Electric, agree that it's time for the federal government to create strong laws to cut global warming pollution. Public and political support for solutions has never been stronger. Congress is now considering fresh proposals to cap emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping pollutants from America's largest sources -- power plants, industrial facilities and transportation fuels.
Stricter efficiency requirements for electric appliances will also help reduce pollution. One example is the 30 percent tighter standard now in place for home central air conditioners and heat pumps, a Clinton-era achievement that will prevent the emission of 51 million metric tons of carbon -- the equivalent of taking 34 million cars off the road for one year. The new rule survived a Bush administration effort to weaken it when, in January 2004, a federal court sided with an NRDC-led coalition and reversed the administration's rollback.

 

Q:     Is it possible to cut power plant pollution and still have enough electricity?

A:

Yes. First, we must use more efficient appliances and equipment in our homes and offices to reduce our electricity needs. We can also phase out the decades-old, coal-burning power plants that generate most of our electricity and replace them with cleaner plants. And we can increase our use of renewable energy sources such as wind and sun. Some states are moving in this direction: California has required its largest utilities to get 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2017, and New York has pledged to compel power companies to provide 25 percent of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2013.

 

Q:     How can we cut car pollution?

A:

Cost-effective technologies to reduce global warming pollution from cars and light trucks of all sizes are available now. There is no reason to wait and hope that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will solve the problem in the future. Hybrid gas-electric engines can cut global warming pollution by one-third or more today; hybrid sedans, SUVs and trucks from several automakers are already on the market.
But automakers should be doing a lot more: They've used a legal loophole to make SUVs far less fuel efficient than they could be; the popularity of these vehicles has generated a 20 percent increase in transportation-related carbon dioxide pollution since the early 1990s. Closing this loophole and requiring SUVs, minivans and pick-up trucks to be as efficient as cars would cut 120 million tons of carbon dioxide pollution a year by 2010. If automakers used the technology they have right now to raise fuel economy standards for new cars and light trucks to a combined 40 m.p.g., carbon dioxide pollution would eventually drop by more than 650 million tons per year as these vehicles replaced older models.

 

Q:      What can I do to help fight global warming?

A:

There are many simple steps you can take right now to cut global warming pollution. Make conserving energy a part of your daily routine. Each time you choose a compact fluorescent light bulb over an incandescent bulb, for example, you'll lower your energy bill and keep nearly 700 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air over the bulb's lifetime. By opting for a refrigerator with the Energy Star label -- indicating it uses at least 15 percent less energy than the federal requirement -- over a less energy-efficient model, you can reduce carbon dioxide pollution by nearly a ton in total. Join NRDC in our campaign against global warming.

 

Q:      How can I argue with a global warming skeptic?

A:

First, determine whether you're talking to a skeptic, or a denier. A genuine skeptic is someone who can be convinced by evidence, and the scientific evidence for human-caused global warming is overwhelming. (If you're dealing with a flat-earther, don't waste your breath.)

Courtesy:http://www.nrdc.org/

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Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum
Varieties:
Ujwala: clustered linear and erect fruits high pungent fruits, resistant to bacterial wilt
Jwalamukhi: Protracted fruiting, low pungent fruits
Jwalasakhi: Protracted fruiting, low pungent fruits
Anugraha: Solitary, pendulous linear and light green fruits, medium pungency, resistant to bacterial wilt.
Vellayani Athulya: Low pungent, yellowish green fruits.
Climate & Soil: Warm humid tropics or subtropics.Can tolerate shade to some extent.Well drained sandy loam soils are ideal for growing chilli.
Season: Ideal time for sowing in plains is September to October.In Kerala the seeds are sown in March-April and transplanted in April-May.
Seed rate: 1-1.5kg/ha
Seeds available with VFPCK: Ujwala
Raising Nursery: Seeds are sown in the nursery and 6 weeks old seedlings are transplanted to the main field.
Spacing: Adjust the spacing depending up on the variety, soil fertility and season (45-75 X 45-60 cm.)
Nutrient management : Apply well rotten FYM / compost @ 20-25 t/ha at the time of land preparation and mix well with the soil. A fertilizer dose of 75:40:25 kg N:P2O5: K2O / ha may be given. Half the dose of nitrogen, full phosphorus and half of potash may be applied as basal dose before transplanting. One fourth of nitrogen and half of potash may be applied 20-30 days after planting. The remaining quantities may be applied two months after planting.
Crop Management: Follow timely weeding, irrigation and earthing up.
Pest Management :

• Thrips, Aphids, White flies, Mites : Suck sap from the lower side of the leaf. Kiriyath soap extract and Nattappochedi extract with Malathion 25EC 2ml/l.

Disease Management :

• Bacterial wilt : The whole plant starts wilting, leaves turn yellow and the plant gets dried up within one week. Grow resistant varieties, drench with cow dung supernatent. Soil Solarisation of nursery. Apply Fytolan 4g/l soil drench, , mechanical control.
• Leaf curl Mosaic : Curling of leaves occurs and plants assume witches broom appearance. Kiriyath- soap extract and Nattappochedi extract
Mosaic : Yellow mottled appearance
• Damping off : Seedlings turn yellow. Rotting occurs in the collar region.Soil drench Bordeaux mixture 1%.
• Leaf spot and Fruit rot. : Spots on leaves and discolouration on fruits. Copper oxychloride 3g/l, mechanical control.

Harvesting: Fruits can be harvested from 75 days after transplanting.
Yield: Green chilli yield is about 8-10 tonnes/ha. Dry chilli yield would be 1800 -2200 kg/ha.
Post Harvesting: Chillies for vegetable purpose are generally picked when they are still green but fully grown. The harvesting of fruits can be done during the morning hours to prevent the weight loss Chillies for drying are picked when red and fully ripe. The fruits are cleaned, trimmed, sorted, graded and packed.

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Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea Var. capitata
Varieties:

Early varieties :
Golden Acre:Compact and round head.
Pride of India:Small round heads. High yielding.
Pusa Mukta: Bacterial rot resistant. Compact and slightly flat-round head.
Hari Rani:F1 hybrid
Pusa Sambandh: Close planting type
Pusa Synthetic: Short stock. Large flat heads.

Mid season varieties :
Pusa Agethi: First tropical variety suitable for high temperature
Sri Ganesh Gol
Nadhlakshmi 401

Late Varieties:
Pusa Drum head:Field resistance to black leg.

Varieties for Kerala:
Golden Acre, Pride of India, Kaveri, Ganga, Sri Ganesh Gol, Pusa Drum Head
Climate & Soil: Well drained sandy loam to clay soil is suited for this crop. It grows well in high ranges during winter season. Optimum temperature for growth and heading is 15- 20 degree centigrade.
Season: August- November,Mid season varieties - September
Seed rate: 500-750g/ha
Raising Nursery: Seeds are sown in nursery beds and three to five week old seedlings are transplanted.
Spacing: 45x45 cm
Nutrient management : Organic manure 25 T/ha, N:P:K of 150:100: 125 kg/ha . Full dose of N and K2O before transplanting and remaining half dose one month after transplanting is recommended.
Crop Management: Earthing up one month after transplanting is essential.
Pest Management :

• Cabbage butterfly Diamond black moth: Apply 5% neem seed kernel extract on cabbage starting from 15 days, trap crop, release of a parasitoid
• Tobacco caterpillar : Spray malathion 2% at initial stages and 1% pyrithrin during head formation stage.

Disease Management :

• Black rot, Black leg and clubroot of cabbage: Remove the affected seedling and provide proper drainage. Dip the seeds in water at 50 degree Celsius for 25- 30 mts as a prophylatic measure. 2-3 spraying of 50 gm of streptocycline +250 gm Copper oxy chloride in 250 litres of water / ha are suggested as control measure.
• Alternaria blight: : Seed treatment with captan 3 gm/ Kg of seed and spraying mancozeb 0 .25% at 15 days interval soon after the appearance of disease can control the same.

Harvesting: Only one head is produced in a plant and the head is harvested along with some wrapper leaves when it becomes firm but tender.
Yield: 20t/ha
Post Harvesting: Heads along with wrapper leaves are transported to rhe markets in krates, where wrapper leaves are trimmed, heads are graded and packed for sale.

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Botanical Name: Momordica charantia
Varieties:
Priya: Long green fruits
Priyanka: White large spindle fruits
Preethi : White spiny medium long fruits
Climate & Soil: Warm humid climate. Well-drained sandy loam or silt loam soil.
Season: May-August, September-December, January-March
Seed rate: 1-1.5kg/ha
Seeds available with VFPCK: Preethi, Priyanka
Spacing: Pit size of 60 X 30-45 cm are taken at a spacing of 2 x 2 m and seeds are sown @ 4-5 per pit. Unhealthy plants are removed after two weeks and only 3 plants are retained per pit.
Nutrient management : Apply FYM @ 20-25 t/ha as basal dose along with half dose of N (35 kg) and full doses of P2O5 (25 kg) and K2O (25 kg). The remaining dose of N (35 kg) can be applied in several split doses at fortnightly intervals.
Crop Management: Erect pandals when the plants start vining.Pandals have to be erected at a height of 6-8 feet using bamboo stakes and G.I. wire. Conduct weeding and irrigation whenever necessary.
Pest Management :

• Jassid, White flies, Aphids : Sucks sap from the lower side of the leaf. Apply Neem oil emulsion 2.5% with garlic paste(20g/l)/ Malathion 50 EC(2ml/l) with garlic paste(20g/l).
• Fruit fly : Adult flies puncture the fruits with the ovipositor and insert the eggs inside the fruits. Maggots feed on the fruits which get rotten . Bait traps with carbofuran granules, Malathion 50 EC (2 ml per litre), Field sanitation.
• Epilachna beetle : Both adult and grubs scrape the leaf lamina and skeletanise the leaves. Malathion 50 EC (2 ml per litre), mechanical control
• Pumpkin Caterpillar, Semi looper : Feeds on the leaf and bore the fruits 1l Kiriyath extract + 1 l of cow’s urine in 10 litres of water, add 10 g of green chilli paste.
• American serpentine leaf miner : Eats away the chlorophyll of the leaves leaving snake like white scars. Neem oil emulsion at 2.5%.
• Pumpkin beetle : Adults feed on the leaves and grubs bore the roots. Apply neem cake,Soil drenching - Ekalux (2ml/l)

Disease Management :

• Downy mildew : Yellow spots on the upper surface and water soaked fungal spots on the lower surface of leaves. Dithane M.45 ( 4g/l), Field sanitation.
• Powdery mildew : Ashy spots on the leaves and stem. Bavistin (4g/l), Field sanitation.
• Mosaic : Yellow and green mottled appearance. Control the vector insects- White flies, jassids, Field sanitation.

Harvesting: Harvest at young, tender stage 55-60 days after planting, twice in a week.
Yield: 20 – 25 t/ha
Post Harvesting: Pack the fruits carefully in gunny bags without damaging the spines and transport to the market without any delay.

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Botanical Name: Benincasa hispida
Varieties: KAU local:High yielding. Medium sized oval to oblong fruits with high flesh thickness and an average weight of 6-8kg.
Indu:High yielding. Tolerant to mosaic disease. Medium sized round fruits with high flesh thickness. Fruits have an average weight of 4-5kg.
Climate & Soil: Warm humid climate.Sandy loam soil.
Season: January-March, September-December and May- August.Though it can be grown throughout the year, sowing the crop in October can prevent mosaic to a certain level.
Seed rate: 0.75-1 kg/ha, 4.5X2 m
Seeds available with VFPCK: KAU local
Spacing: 4.5X2 m .Pits of 60 cm diameter and 30-45 cm depth are taken.Seeds are sown @ 4-5 per pit. After two weeks retain three healthy plants per pit.
Nutrient management : Apply FYM/ compost @20-25t/ha and NPK @35:25:25 kg/ha as basal dose. Apply N@35kg/N in two equal splits; at the time of vining and at the time of full blooming.
Crop Management: Irrigate at necessary intervels. Spread dried twigs or coconut leaves on the ground, for trailing to prevent the fruits from coming in contact with hot soil.Conduct weeding and raking of the soil at the time of fertilizer application. In the case of cucurbitaceous vegetables, more number of female flowers should be produced to enhance the yield. Spraying the crop with Ethrel at the rate of 3-3.5ml in 10ltr of water will increase the production of female flowers.
Pest Management :

• Fruit fly : Adult flies puncture the fruits with the ovipositor and insert the eggs inside the fruits. Maggots feed on the fruits which get rotten . Bait traps with carbofuran granules, Malathion 50 EC (2 ml per litre), Field sanitation.
• Epilachna beetle : Both adult and grubs scrape the leaf lamina and skeletanise the leaves. Malathion 50 EC (2 ml per litre), mechanical control
• American serpentine leaf miner : Eats away the chlorophyll of the leaves leaving snake like white scars. Neem oil emulsion at 2.5%.
• Pumpkin beetle : Adults feed on the leaves and grubs bore the roots. Apply neem cake,Soil drenching - Ekalux (2ml/l)

Disease Management :

• Downy mildew : Yellow spots on the upper surface and water soaked fungal spots on the lower surface of leaves. Dithane M.45 ( 4g/l), Field sanitation.
• Powdery mildew : Ashy spots on the leaves and stem. Bavistin (4g/l), Field sanitation.
• Mosaic : Yellow and green mottled appearance. Control the vector insects- White flies, jassids, Field sanitation.

Harvesting: The first harvesting of fruits can be done three months after sowing. Depending on the demand, the fruits can be harvested at both immature and fully mature stages. Harvesting at tender stage is advisable for better yield and market demand.
Yield: 10-15 t/ha when harvested at mature stage
20 - 25 t/ha when harvested at immature stage
Post Harvesting: The fruits are to be handled carefully to avoid damage. The fruits are then graded and packed in cartons without causing damage.
Seed Collection: Harvest the crop after full development of waxy coating.

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Botanical Name: Luffa acutangula
Varieties:
Haritham:High yielding. Light green large cylindrical fruits with typical ridges and tapering towards the base.
CO 2:Green long fruits with an average length of 45-50cm. Fruits are with broadened tip and average weight of 700g.
Arka Sujat:Heavy yielder. Good market acceptance.
Deepthi:Green fruits with intermediate lustre and tapered stem-end. Field resistance to mosaic and downy mildew diseases
Climate & Soil: Warm humid climate. Well-drained sandy loam or silt loam soil.
Season: May-Jun, Sept-Dec, Jan-Mar.
Seed rate: 1.5-2 Kg/ha
Spacing: Pit size of 60 X 30-45 cm are taken at a spacing of 2 x 2 m and seeds are sown @ 4-5 per pit. Unhealthy plants are removed after two weeks and only 3 plants are retained per pit.
Nutrient management : Apply FYM @ 20-25 t/ha as basal dose along with half dose of N (35 kg) and full doses of P2O5 (25 kg) and K2O (25 kg). The remaining dose of N (35 kg) can be applied in several split doses at fortnightly intervals.
Crop Management: Erect pandals when the plants start vining.Pandals have to be erected at a height of 6-8 feet using bamboo stakes and G.I. wire. Conduct weeding and irrigation whenever necessary.
Pest Management :

• Jassid, White flies, Aphids : Sucks sap from the lower side of the leaf. Apply Neem oil emulsion 2.5% with garlic paste(20g/l)/ Malathion 50 EC(2ml/l) with garlic paste(20g/l).
• Fruit fly : Adult flies puncture the fruits with the ovipositor and insert the eggs inside the fruits. Maggots feed on the fruits which get rotten . Bait traps with carbofuran granules, Malathion 50 EC (2 ml per litre), Field sanitation.
• Epilachna beetle : Both adult and grubs scrape the leaf lamina and skeletanise the leaves. Malathion 50 EC (2 ml per litre), mechanical control
• Pumpkin Caterpillar, Semi looper : Feeds on the leaf and bore the fruits 1l Kiriyath extract + 1 l of cow’s urine in 10 litres of water, add 10 g of green chilli paste.
• American serpentine leaf miner : Eats away the chlorophyll of the leaves leaving snake like white scars. Neem oil emulsion at 2.5%.
• Pumpkin beetle : Adults feed on the leaves and grubs bore the roots. Apply neem cake,Soil drenching - Ekalux (2ml/l)

Disease Management :

• Downy mildew : Yellow spots on the upper surface and water soaked fungal spots on the lower surface of leaves. Dithane M.45 ( 4g/l), Field sanitation.
• Powdery mildew : Ashy spots on the leaves and stem. Bavistin (4g/l), Field sanitation.
• Mosaic : Yellow and green mottled appearance. Control the vector insects- White flies, jassids, Field sanitation.
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Harvesting: The harvesting of fruits can be done in tender stages. The first harvest can be done 55-60 days after sowing.
Yield: 15 - 20 t/ha.
Post Harvesting: Picking should be done once in two days. The fruits are to be handled carefully to avoid damage. The fruits are then graded and packed in bamboo baskets or cartons without causing damage. Covering baskets with moistened jute bags will reduce the rate of physiological activities.

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Botanical Name: Cucumis sativus & ORIENTAL PICKLING MELON -Cucumis melo var. conomon
Varieties:

Oriental Pickling Melon Varieties:
Mudicode local: Golden coloured, large sized long fruit tapering at one end.
Soubhagya:Unique small to medium sized oblong green fruits with light green stripes, which turn golden yellow on ripening. Early variety suitable for close planting.
Arunima:Uniform large cylindrical fruits that are bright green with creamy spots at tender stage and attractive orange yellow at ripening.

Cucumber Varieties:
AAU C-2: Long cylindrical and whitish fruits.
Poinsette:Dark medium long fruits.Resistant to many fungal diseases.
Seethal: Early variety.Green fruits of medium length.
CO 1:Long fruits with a characteristic narrow neck.

Climate & Soil: Warm season crop.Prefers sandy loam soils.
Season: January-March, September-December and May- August.
Seed rate: 0.5-0.75 kg/ha
Seeds available with VFPCK: Mudicode local
Spacing: Take the pits at a spacing of 2X1.5 m and the seeds are sown @ 4-5 per pit. After two weeks remove the unhealthy plants retaining three plants per pit.
Nutrient management : Apply FYM @ 20-25 t/ha as basal dose along with half dose of N (35 kg) and full dose of P2O5 (25 kg) and K2O (25 kg/ha). The remaining dose of N (35 kg) can be applied in two equal split doses at the time of vining and at the time of full blooming.
Crop Management: For trailing, spread dried twigs or coconut leaves on the ground.Spraying the crop with Ethrel at the rate of 3-3.5ml in 10ltr of water will increase the production of female flowers.
Pest Management :

• Epilachna beetle : Both adult and grubs scrape the leaf lamina and skeletanise the leaves. Ekalux 25EC 2ml/l, mechanical control.
• Fruit fly : Adult flies insert the eggs inside the fruits and the maggots feed on the fruit. Malathion 50 EC 2 .2ml/l, mechanical control, bait traps.
• American serpentine leaf miner : Eats away the chlorophyll of the leaves leaving snake like white scars on the leaf lamina.Neem oil emulsion 2.5%
• Pumpkin beetle : Adults feed on the leaves and the grubs bore the roots. Soil drenching with Ekalux 2ml/l, mechanical control.

Disease Management :

• Downy mildew : Yellow spots on the upper surface and water soaked fungal spots on the lower surface of leaves.Dithane M.45 4g/l, field sanitation.
• Powdery mildew : Ashy spots on the leaves and stem. Apply Karathane 1g/l, field sanitation.
• Mosaic : Yellow and green mottled appearance on leaves. Seed treatment Bavistin 2g/kg, mechanical control.

Harvesting: The first harvesting of fruits can be done 45-55 days after sowing.
Yield: 10-12 t/ha.

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Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
Varieties:
Pusa Early Synthetic:Curds small to medium, creamy white. Resistant to riceyness.
Himani:Blackrot resistant type.
Swathi: Blackrot resistant :
Pusa Deepali:Compact self blanched white head.
Pusa Snowball K1:Snow white curd.High yielding.
Pusa Hybrid 2:
Pant Gobhi:Creamy white nonricey curd.
Climate & Soil: Well drained sandy loam to clay loam soils are suited for the crop. It can be grown in high ranges during winter and typical Indian cauli flower produces curd above 20 degree celsius and can grow even upto 35 degree celsius.The crop is highly sensitive to Boron and molybdenum deficiency.
Season: Aug-Nov.Season varies depending upon the variety and altitude.
Seed rate: 600-750 g/ha.
Raising Nursery: Seeds are sown in nursery beds and three to five week old seedlings are transplanted.
Spacing: 60 x 45 cm
Nutrient management : Organic manure 20t/ha and N: P : K : at 150: 100: 125 kg/ha. Apply full dose of P2O5 and half dose of N+ K2O before transplanting and remaining N+ K one month after transplanting.
Physiological Disorder: Whip tail of cauliflower : Caused due to molybdenum deficiency. Can be corrected by bringing soil PH to 6.5 by liming and can be controlled by applying 1 kg of sodium or ammonium molybdate/ha.
Crop Management: Earthing up one month after transplanting produce large curds.Blanching is an important operation in cauliflower to get good quality curd. Curds are covered and tied with leaves to protect the heads from sun scorch and yellowing preventing the loss of flavour and attractiveness.The duration of blanching should not exceed 3-5 days in hot weather and 8-10 days in cool weather.
Pest Management :

• Cabbage butterfly, diamond black moth: Apply 5% neem seed kernel extract on cabbage starting from 15 days.
• Tobacco caterpillar : Spray malathion 2% at initial stages and 1% pyrithrin during head formation stage.

Disease Management :

• Black rot, Black leg and clubroot of cabbage: Remove the affected seedling and provide proper drainage. Dip the seeds in water at 50 degree Celsius for 25- 30 mts as a prophylatic measure. 2-3 spraying of 50 gm of streptocycline +250 gm Copper oxy chloride in 250 litres of water / ha are suggested as control measure.
• Alternaria blight: : Seed treatment with captan 3 gm/ Kg of seed and spraying mancozeb 0 .25% at 15 days interval soon after the appearance of disease can control the same.

Harvesting: Cauliflower is harvested with a sharp knife along with a few outer jacket leaves. Delay in harvesting leads to ricey, fuzzy or leafy curds.
Yield: Varies with varieties and temperature. At temperature above 25 degree celsius maximum yield of early variety is 10t/ha and it may go up to 12-15 t/ha at a temperature range of 20- 25 degree celsius. In mid season varieties, yield may go up to 20t/ha in cool season.In some of the late varities yield is upto 20-30t/ha.

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Botanical Name: Solanum melongena
Varieties:
Surya:Glossy oval and medium sized fruits, resistant to bacterial wilt
Swetha: White and medium long fruits, resistant to bacterial wilt
Haritha:Light green long and fleshly fruits resistant to bacterial wilt
Neelima:Large oval to round glossy violet fruits resistant to bacterial wilt
Climate & Soil: Warm humid climate. Can be grown in wide range of soils. Prefers highly fertile and well drained soils.
Season: Ideally the seeds are sown in March-April and transplanted in April-May.
Seed rate: 350g/ha
Seeds available with VFPCK: Haritha
Seed Treatment: Thiram 3g/kg.
Raising Nursery: Seeds sown in nursery bed are tranplanted to the main field four weeks after sowing.
Spacing: Adjust the spacing depending up on the variety, soil fertility and season. Transplant less spreading varieties like Swetha and Surya at 60 x 60 cm. For spreading varieties like Haritha and Neelima, provide wider spacing of 75-90 x 60 cm.
Nutrient management : Apply FYM or compost as basal dose @ 20-25t/ha. NPK 75:40:25 kg/ha in split doses.
Crop Management: Keep the field weedfree. Follow timely irrigation and earthing up.
Pest Management :

• Fruit and shoot borer : Caterpillars bore the fruits and shoot of the plant. Mechanical control of pests.Apply Neem oil emulsion 2.5%,
• Epilachna beetle : Ekalux 25 EC 2ml/l, Both adult and grubs scrape the leaf lamina and skeletanise the leaves. Mechanical control of pests .Release natural enemies to the field. If the attack is severe, apply Ekalux 25 EC (2ml per litre) on both the surfaces of the leaves.
• Jassid : Sucks sap from the lower side of the leaves. Apply Neem oil emulsion 2.5% with garlic paste 20g/l. .
• Aphids : Sucks sap from the plant.Tobacco decoction.

Disease Management :

• Bacterial wilt: The whole plant turns yellow and gets dried up. Follow field sanitation.Plant resistant varieties. Drench the soil thoroughly with the solution of Fytolan @4g per litre before planting. Repeat if the disease is found in later stages.
• Damping off : Seedlings turn yellow. Rotting occurs in the collar region.Drench with 1% Bordeaux Mixture.
• Phomopsis blight : soft water soaked leisions on fruits that turn to mummified in appearance. Seed treatment with bavistin @2g/kg of seeds. Spray bavistin @2g/l

Harvesting: The fruits are harvested at immature stages after attaining full size before loosing its glossy appearance.
Yield: 20 - 25 t/ha.
Post Harvesting: The harvesting of fruits can be done at an interval of five days during the morning hours to prevent the weight loss. The fruits are to be handled carefully to avoid damage.Remove fruits affected by phomopsis blight. The fruits are then graded and packed in bamboo baskets or cartons without causing damage. Covering baskets with moistened jute bags will reduce the rate of physiological activities.
Seed Collection: Harvest the fruits at full ripe stage. Crush the fruits. Soak overnight .Rinse thoroughly with water and dry in open sunlight for one hr and then under partial shade.

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Botanical Name: Abelmoschus esculentus
Varieties:

Green/light green fruited:
Kiran:High yielding. Light green and long fruits. Suitable for the Southern areas of the state.
Salkeerthi: Attractive light green long fruits. High yielding.

Red Fruited: Aruna:High yielding. Attractive red long fruits rich in anthocyanin.
Co-1: Pinkish red fruits

Yellow Vein Mosaic Resistant/Tolerant: Arka Anamika:Unbranched. Green fruited.
Arka Abhay:Green fruited.
Susthira:Green fruited long duration variety suitable for homesteads.
Anchitha: Suitable for Southern part of the state
Manchima: Light green fruited.Suitable for cultivation during rainy season at high altitudes.

Climate & Soil: Tropical and subtropical climate. It can not tolerate frost. Performs better in high rain fall areas. Stunted growth under high temperature. Prefers loose well drained rich soil.
Season: February-March, June-July and October-November.
Seed rate: The seed rate is 8.5 kg/ha for the summer crop sown in February-March and 7 kg/ha for kharif crop.
Seeds available with VFPCK: Haritha
Spacing: Planting can be done in pits or channels,at a spacing of 60 X 30-45 cm depending upon the planting season, topography and soil texture .
Nutrient management : Apply FYM or compost as basal dose @ 12 t/ha. At the time of sowing, apply N, P2O5, and K2O @ 25, 8 and 25 kg/ha. Another 25 kg N per ha may be applied one month after sowing.
Crop Management: Ensure sufficient moisture. water stress at flowering and fruiting stage will result in low yield.
Pest Management :

• Fruit and shoot borer : Caterpillars bore the fruits and shoot of the plant. Apply Neem oil emulsion 5%, mechanical control.
• Leaf hopper :: Sucks sap from the lower side of the leaf.Spreads yellow vein mosaic. Apply Neem oil emulsion 2.5% mixed with garlic paste at 20g/l.
• Aphids : Sucks sap from the lower surface of leaves. Mechanical control, tobacco decoction
• Root Knot Nematodes :Stunted growth of the plant. Lumps are seen on the roots. Apply Neem cake in the pits at the time of sowing. Apply Eupatorium leaves at 250 g/plant in basins one week prior to planting and water daily.

Disease Management :

• Yellow Vein Mosaic : Viral disease spread by Jassids. Yellowing of leaves with vein clearing and vein chlorosis of leaves. Follow clean cultivation, use disease free seeds or resistant varieties, control insect vector with neem oil emulsion
• Leaf spot : Clear brown spots appear on the surface of leaves. Infected leaves turn brown and drop. Use Dithane M-45 @ 4g/l.

Harvesting: Harvesting at tender stage is advisable for better yield and market demand. Harvest at morning hours
Yield: 15-20 t/ha
Post Harvesting: The fruits are to be handled carefully to avoid damage. The fruits are then graded and packed in cartons without causing damage. Sprinkle with water.Pre-cooling is recommended to maintain turgidity.

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Botanical Name: Amaranthus spp
Varieties: Red:
Kannara Local :Dark red, season bound ,flowers in Nov-Dec. Adjust Planting accordingly. Multi cut variety.
Arun: Maroon red leaves. High yielding. Photoinsensitive. Suitable for multi cut and once over harvests
Krishnasree: Reddish brown leaved,fleshy stemed,multicut variety
Green
Co-1:Dark green, resistant to leaf spot, suitable for late harvest
Co-2:Suitable for early harvest
Co-3:Small leaved,slender and tender stemed, multicut varity
Mohini:Attractive green variety. Photoinsensitive.High yielding. Suitable for summer season.
Renusree: Green leaved, purple fleshy stem
Climate & Soil: Adapted to hot humid climatic conditions.Comes up well in well drained loamy soils rich in organic matter.
Season: Round the year, avoid sowing or planting during heavy rain.
Seed rate: 1.5 to 2 Kg/ha
Seeds available with VFPCK: Arun,CO-1
Raising Nursery: Sow in raised seedbeds and spread a thin layer of fine sand on top.
Transplanting: Transplant 20-30 days old seedlings with 4-5 leaves in the shallow trenches during summer and raised beds during rainy season
Spacing: 30cmX20cm
Nutrient management : Apply 50tonnes of cowdung/ha and NPK @ 50:50:50 kg/ha as basal dose. Apply N @ 50kg/ha as top dressing 15 days after transplanting. Foliar spray of 1% urea(10g per litre)after every harvest.
Crop Management: Carry out weeding before applying the fertilizer. Rake the soil lightly during top dressing. Irrigate the field at one or two day’s interval to ensure sufficient moisture in the field.Avoid spray irrigation to prevent the spread of leaf spot disease. Follow flood irrigation if attack is detected in the main field.
Pest Management :

Leaf Webber :Caterpillars web the leaves together and feed from inside.Destroy the caterpillars along with the leaf.Apply cows urine-capsicum mixture. Avoid pesticides as far as possible.If the attack is severe apply Malathion 50EC @ 2ml/l.

Disease Management :

Leaf spot : Small white spots appear on the leaves. The disease is severe during the rainy season and spreads through irrigation water.Plant CO1, which is resistant to the disease. Mixed planting of red varieties with CO1 will prevent the spread of the disease.Apply turmeric & soda powder mixture.Spray the plant with Dithane M-45 @4g per litre of supernatant cow dung slurry. Harvesting should only be done 2 weeks after the application of the fungicide.

Harvesting: In multiple cut harvest 3-4 weeks after planting and then every week. In uprooting harvest one month after planting. Spray the plants with 1% urea solution after each harvest.
Yield: Approximately 15-20t/ha
Post Harvesting: Harvested the crop when there is good foliage, the stem is tender and flowering has not been initiated. Cut the plant close to ground level,clean thoroughly in running water to remove the cobwebs, soil stuck to the roots and dirt. Keep the harvested plant in shade. Pack into bundles. Sprinkle water intermittently and cover the cut ends to reduce the rate of dessication.
Seed Collection: Harvest the crop from the field before it is fully dried.

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