Control Plant Diseases
yard and garden BP 8-11 February, 1968

Diseases of Cabbage and Related Plants

The cabbage and its numerous relatives have been standard items for many years in everybody’s backyard vegetable patch." The cabbage belongs to the family Cruciferae and with its relatives is referred to as a "cruci-fer" because of its characteristic four-petaled flower. Crucifers include turnip, radish, rape, rutabaga and horseradish. From the original wild cabbage, cultivated types of cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, col-lards and kale have been developed. Among the wild plants related to the cabbage are shepherds -purse, pepper grass and mustard.
Crucifers are subject to numerous diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses. In addition, problems such as boron defi-ciency and low potash injury which are known as "non-parasitic" diseases, frequently are responsible for disappointing results.

GENERAL DISEASE
Control suggestions

Losses caused by many of the common diseases of crucifers may be significantly reduced by heeding the following suggestions.

Rotation

Growing the same type of plants in the same spot year after year favors the multi-plication of disease-inciting fungi and bacter-ia that persist in the soil. Black leg and black rot organisms can remain viable in the soil to cause disease for at least 2-3 years. The cabbage yellows fungus will persist in the soil for so long it usually cannot be avoided
by rotation. It is a good practice to change the location of garden vegetables every year if possible.

Plant Selection

Since most home gardeners purchase transplants rather than raising vegetables from seed, care should be exercised in selecting these plants. Healthy, vigorous, disease-free plants of the desired variety should be selected with great care. Weak, wilted, spindly, yellowed, or unthrifty plants generally give disappointing results in the backyard vegetable patch.

Weed and Insect Control

Many common weeds, such as pepper-grass, shepherds-purse and wild mustard can be hosts for diseases affecting desired crucifers. Weed control early in the season is therefore an important part of plant disease control. Insects, such as aphids and leafhoppers, may transmit several common virus diseases of crucifers. An effective insect control program is therefore an important complimentary practice for effective plant disease control.

NON-PARASITIC DISEASES OF CRUCIFERS

Whiptail

Some crucifers, especially cauliflower, occasionally produce narrow, ruffled leaves

Cooperative Extension Service PURDUE UNIVERSITY Lafayette, Indiana
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Life Science Building