Methods of Overwintering Cabbage for Seed

Seven different methods were tried for the overwintering of Cabbage heads, in Kalpa conditions, where winters are long and severe. In four treatments where polythenes were used, the mortality of plants was high and the seed yields were in general very low; they also took more number of days to flower. Seed yields were high for the three treatments, viz., where heads were stored in trenches, heads covered with earth and heads kept open in the field, and these were not significantly different from each other during all the three years, through there was a tendency in treatment where heads were covered with earth to give slightly higher seed yields. Flowering occurred about three days late in treatment, where heads were kept open in field, thus indicating comparatively late maturity in it to the other two treatments.

The germination percentage and thousand grain weight were not affected by different methods of storage. It can thus be concluded that the heads may be profitably replanted immediately after selections even at places where winters are severe. It shall be more desirable, if the heads are kept covered with 10–15 cm of earth during winters, as this shall ensure more seed yields and the early maturity of crop. However, if the seed crop fields are not available in November, the storage of heads in trenches can be safely adopted.