Brussels sprouts prefer a moderately temperate, cool and humid growing environment. Ideal temperature ranges from 15°C to 25°C. However good quality sprouts are obtained when temperature ranges between 1 °C and 20°C. A temperature beyond 25°C results in poor quality Brussels sprouts. Brussels Sprout is a frost-hardy plant. Sandy loam soil that is well-drained and rich in organic matter is best suited for Brussels sprouts. Recommended pH is 6.0–6.8.
Types of Varieties: There are three types of varieties. These dwarf varieties, medium tall varieties and tall varieties.
Dwarf varieties are less than 50cm in height. Jade Cross is a popular Japanese F1 hybrid, and an early-producing dwarf variety which is high-yielding but suitable for a single harvest.
Medium tall varieties are about 50–60cm in height. Hilds Ideal is a medium – tall variety in which each sprout weighs about 10 grams. Sprouts are green-coloured and compact with good flavour. There will be approximately 400 sprouts/plant in a growing season. Average yield is 5000-7500 kg per acre.
Tall varieties of Brussels sprouts are more than 70cm in height. Best example is Rubine which is a high-yielding variety.
Regarding field preparation before planting brussels sprouts, minimum 5 ploughings are required which should be followed by two or three leveling followed by bed preparation. Recommended bed size is 3m × 3m or 4m × 4m. Propagation is by seeds. Recommended seed rate is 200-250 grams/acre. Sowing of seeds is done in well-prepared nursery beds.
Nursery beds should be disinfected before sowing process. Drenching of soil with any recommended fungicide @ 3 grams/litre of water is recommended for soil disinfestations. Alternatively, soil sterilization with 1% formaldehyde solution is also feasible. After soil treatment, beds are covered for four or five days with a polyethylene sheet. In tropics, seeds are sown from August to October-end in plains and from February to April and also in autumn in the hills.
Seeds are sown in lines approx. 6 cm apart at a depth of 2 centimetres. Soon after sowing, seeds are covered with fine soil. Then nursery beds are covered with a biodegradable mulching. Seeds germinate within a week’s time under temperate conditions (sometime seeds germinate after four or five days after sowing).
Seed treatment with hot water (50°C) for half an hour enhances germination rate. General rule is to keep the nursery beds moist until germination. Transplanting age is 35–45 days after sowing. General rule is, when seedlings attain a height of 10–15 centimetres transplanting can be done. Recommended spacing is 60cm × 45cm. Vegetative propagation is also possible by cuttings. Tissue culture is also feasible.
A balanced application of fertilizers is essential for successful production of Brussels sprouts. Recommended NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) dose is 100kg of N; 50kg P and 50kg K for one acre area in tropical countries.
During land preparation, 20–25 tons of farmyard manure or compost is applied along with 1/3rd N and the full of P and K. 1/3rd N is applied 30–45 days after planting and the remaining 1/3rd N is applied before formation of the sprouts. First irrigation is done immediately after transplanting of seedlings. Subsequent irrigations are done at 15 days interval depending upon the weather conditions. Irrigation should be stopped at the time of maturity because irrigation at maturity results in the loosening of sprouts.
Regular hoeing and weeding is recommended until plants grow well and leaves cover the soil surface. After that, hoeing and weeding must be stopped. 2–3 hoeing and weeding are recommended. An earthing-up before sprout formation enhances sprout development. Manual weeding is generally recommended. If weed menace is very severe, chemical weed control by using herbicides may be practiced. Mulching with black polythene also controls weed growth.
Brussels sprouts are ready for harvest within 3-4 months after transplanting. Harvest maturity is based on sprout size and compactness. Sprout size should be one inch or more in diameter but not more than three inches in length. Stem elongation is a sign of over-maturity. Vegetative buds that develop along the stem of the Brussels sprouts should be tight and compact.
Harvesting is done when the buds are firm; splitting of the outer leaves indicates that buds are over mature. 3–6 harvestings are done in a crop cycle. Manual or mechanical harvesting is recommended. A yield of 2500 kg per acre is obtained in a single harvest. If crop is grown for multiple harvests, a yield of about 7500 kg per acre is obtained.
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