Growing brassicas
Common questions
Sue Heisswolf, Bronwyn Walsh & Craig Henderson, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland.
This information was extracted from the Growing guide: Brassica grower's handbook, which provides information on aspects of growing and marketing brassica crops, particularly broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
On this page:
Introduction
This DPI&F Note contains the most commonly asked questions about growing brassica crops. The answers are as brief as possible. Where more detail is required we refer you to the Brassica grower's handbook.
Varieties
What's the best variety to plant?
Almost all brassicas grown in Queensland are hybrid varieties. The variety you choose depends on planting time, the expected growing conditions and the preferences of the target market for which you are producing. No single variety performs well across all seasons or districts and choosing the right variety for the district and season can be a complex decision.
In the Lockyer Valley, Warrior was the main cabbage variety grown during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. The broccoli variety, Babylon has largely superseded Greenbelt for main season planting. Escale and Discovery were the preferred main season cauliflower varieties.
In the highland areas, Kameron and Warrior were the main cabbage varieties planted. Atomic (Viper) was a popular choice for summer broccoli and Cauldron, Charlotte and Fremont were the main cauliflower varieties grown. Various other varieties were used for early and late season production in the two districts.
Seed companies, seedling producers, other brassica growers, and local agricultural suppliers and consultants are valuable sources of information on choosing varieties.
Seed companies regularly release new varieties. We recommend that you make small plantings of promising new varieties for trial alongside standard varieties before planting larger areas.
Planting
What is the best time of year to grow brassicas?
Cool, sunny days with temperatures between 15° and 25°C and night temperatures between 10° and 15°C are considered ideal. In most regions of southern Queensland, this means production is limited to March through to October, as only the elevated areas around Toowoomba and Stanthorpe have the cool conditions necessary to produce quality summer brassica crops.
Should I use transplants or direct seed the crop?
In Queensland, the majority of brassica crops are established using transplants. Transplants are normally produced as container grown seedlings by a commercial seedling nursery or on-farm. Direct seeded crops cost less to establish but mature up to two weeks later than seedlings planted out at the same time. Problems with soil crusting, weather, weed control, soil disease and insects can severely reduce crop stands in direct seeded crops.
If you are growing brassicas for the first time, use transplants produced by a commercial seedling nursery to establish the crop.
What is the optimum plant spacing?
The planting arrangement and subsequent planting density depends on the equipment available, variety grown, the head size required, season and local growing conditions.
The majority of broccoli is grown in two or three rows per raised bed with 300 to 400 mm between plants in the row. Cauliflower and cabbage are often grown in double rows on raised beds or sometimes in single hilled rows, with 600 to 700 mm between plants in the row. Distance between bed centres is usually 1.5 m. Distance between centres of single hilled rows is usually 0.9 m.
Where do I buy transplants and how many do I need?
Numerous seedling nurseries grow transplants for sale. Check the Yellow Pages® Directory for nurseries that supply transplants for the vegetable industry. The Contacts & references chapter gives contact details for the two major seedling nurseries in south-east Queensland. Once you have decided on plant spacings and bed arrangements it is possible to calculate how many plants you will need to order from the nursery. Order transplants several months before the expected planting date.
Pests and diseases
What are the main pests?
Diamondback moth (DBM) and to a lesser degree, heliothis are the two most important pests of brassicas but other caterpillar pests, aphids, thrips and silverleaf whitefly can also cause problems.
During the first three to four weeks after planting, centre grub and cutworm are the most likely pests to cause damage in summer and autumn planted crops. Other caterpillar pests, thrips and silverleaf whitefly may also be active during crop establishment. Aphids can cause problems in seedlings, particularly during warm, mild conditions.
Once the crop is established, DBM, heliothis, cabbage cluster caterpillar, cluster caterpillar, cabbage white butterfly, thrips and silverleaf whitefly are all likely problems.
Hares, wallabies, kangaroos and ducks are only occasional pests of brassicas but they can cause significant damage. Feeding mice can damage broccoli and cauliflower heads.
I'm having trouble controlling grubs in my crop. What has gone wrong?
Poor spray application, poor timing of spray applications, wrong chemical for the insect problem, year round or hot weather production, insect resistance to chemicals used and over-reliance on chemicals as the only control option-these can all be factors in poor control of grubs in brassica crops.
Make sure that you identify the pest correctly so that you can select the most effective insecticides for the pest problem. Check that spray equipment is giving good spray coverage of plants and regularly calibrate spray equipment. Avoid warm weather production as insects are more difficult to control in hot temperatures. Rotate insecticides from different chemical groups to prevent or overcome chemical resistance in the pest. Large grubs are hard to kill-apply sprays while caterpillars are still small. Do not grow brassica crops year round.
Try using an integrated pest management (IPM) approach to control pest problems in the crop. IPM combines a wide range of management tactics to prevent pests and diseases causing economic crop damage. It involves regular crop monitoring to ensure that chemical sprays are only used when necessary therefore encouraging natural enemies of pests into the crop. IPM also uses preventative management strategies, such as crop rotations and production breaks to minimise the risk of pest and disease problems. Because IPM requires in-depth knowledge of the crop and its pests we recommend that first time growers use a crop consultant.
When should I spray to control insect pests?
You have two choices. You can spray according to the calendar, for example, by spraying every two weeks even if there are no pests present, or, as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) program, you can spray only when there is a pest problem in the crop.
The first option-spraying by the calendar is likely to lead to chemicals being applied that are not needed which is expensive and may adversely impact on the environment. It also exposes the crop to greater risk of pest outbreaks and insecticide resistance problems.
The second option-IPM is the preferred choice as management decisions are based on what is actually happening in the crop. The crop is regularly monitored for insects and diseases (at least once a week), to check if any action is necessary. It requires a significant amount of experience and knowledge to make the correct decision on whether to spray or not. We recommend you employ a professional crop consultant to assist with this decision making process.
Which sprays won't affect the natural enemies in the crop?
Narrow spectrum insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis can be used to control caterpillars with little adverse effects on natural enemies. To get a good result it is important to spray caterpillars when they are still small. There are several other insecticides available that are specific to particular pests and have a reduced impact on natural enemies. The label on the chemical container will usually include some information on the impact of the chemical on natural enemies.
Synthetic pyrethroids, carbamates and most organophosphates are considered broad-spectrum insecticides and will kill a range of insects, some of which may be beneficial.
What diseases are important?
Soil borne diseases such as club root, damping off, wirestem, sclerotinia rot, black leg, yellows and sclerotium base rot can survive in the soil for long periods. Club root is potentially the most devastating but its distribution within Queensland appears limited to the Granite Belt district. Sclerotinia rot can rapidly rot stems, leaves and heads, causing wilting and then collapse of the plant. Damping off and wirestem are primarily a problem in seedlings and during crop establishment. Good soil preparation, farm hygiene and the use of appropriate crop rotations are essential in controlling these soil borne diseases.
Bacterial leaf and head diseases usually cause the most problems in brassica crops. They include black rot, leaf scald, peppery leaf spot, zonate leaf spot and bacterial head rots. Black rot and bacterial head rots are common and often serious diseases during warm, wet weather. Hot water treatment of seed, crop rotations and farm hygiene all have a part to play in controlling these diseases. Proper cooling and low temperature storage of produce will reduce bacterial head rot problems.
Fungal leaf diseases include downy mildew, ring spot, alternaria spot (target spot), grey mould and a recent introduction to Queensland, white blister. Downy mildew can be serious problem in seedling nurseries as crowding of plants provides the ideal conditions for the disease to develop. It is usually less of a problem after transplanting.
What causes the raised, white blisters under the leaves?
The disease white blister, caused by the fungus Albugo candida. This disease which affects mostly cauliflower and brocolli, has recently been found in the Lockyer Valley in Queensland, and has been in New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria for the last few years.
Symptoms of white blister of brassica appear on leaves as yellow brown spots with small raised white blisters or pustules underneath. Swelling may also be found on roots, stems and flowers. The seedlings contain masses of white dusty spores. The disease causes the plant to distort and reduces the marketability of flower heads and the production of seeds.
What is causing the roots to swell up?
Swollen roots and stunted plants that wilt during the middle of the day are likely to indicate club root infection. Be careful not to break any of these roots off and drop them onto 'clean' soil. Contact the DPI&F for assistance, quarantine the affected area but don't remove samples from your crop.
What should I do if I find club root?
Don't panic! There are infested farms which continue to grow crops while managing the problem. Contact your local DPI&F for advice and support. The fear of becoming a known club root infected property is far worse than the eventuality.
How do I prevent club root from appearing on my property?
There are several things you can do and they all centre on farm hygiene. Limit the traffic on your farm particularly into production areas. Put up signage to show that you are serious about restricting entry to your farm. Look out for possible sources of contamination-infected transplants, dirty machinery, vehicles, bins and boots, contract labour and other visitors to the farm. Don't lend equipment and machinery without accepting that this increases the risk of infecting your farm with contaminated soil. Provide facilities for washing down equipment, vehicles and footwear. Don't allow people to enter your property unless they remove contaminated footwear.
What is causing the heads to rot?
During warm, wet weather broccoli is particularly prone to bacterial head rots, a result of infections by the bacteria Erwinia and Pseudomonas. The slimy, soft rot can affect heads in the field and after harvest and is accompanied by a characteristic foul smell. Infection occurs through injuries of plant tissue.
In cabbage, sclerotinia head rots caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum are more likely to occur. Cool, wet weather favours this disease.
In cauliflower, both sclerotinia and bacterial head rots can be a problem. Alternaria spot caused by the fungus Alternaria brassicicola is also a possibility.
What is causing the yellowish-brown, dead areas on the leaves?
The most likely problem is black rot, a bacterial disease, which causes yellowish-brown v-shaped symptoms around leaf edges. Bacterial diseases are common in extended showery and windy weather. The bacteria invade leaf tissue through wounds or tiny natural leaf openings such as hydathodes and stomata and then multiply very rapidly- symptoms often appearing soon after rain.
Bacterial diseases such as black rot, leaf scald, zonate leaf spot and peppery leaf spot can quickly become serious problems in wet weather. There are no registered chemicals available to prevent disease development once infection has occurred and it is difficult to apply effective protective sprays during rainy conditions.
How do I get started with integrated pest management (IPM) for controlling pests and diseases?
There is no recipe for IPM but a critical first step is to switch from routine chemical sprays to strategic sprays based on crop monitoring results. We recommend you employ a crop consultant to help you get started with IPM. If a professional crop consultant is not available in your area, monitoring the crop yourself or training one of your staff is an option- this approach requires commitment and time. Learn as much about the different pests, diseases and weeds as you can and take part in any field days or training activities on pest management that may be available.
. IPM aims to work with nature rather than against it by using preventative strategies such as crop rotations, production breaks and farm hygiene to reduce pest and disease problems.
. IPM relies on regular crop monitoring to keep track of what is happening in the crop, selecting the right strategy for managing a problem and then checking that the management option has worked. Sprays are seen as only one option in a range of management strategies available.
. To encourage and protect natural enemies, low levels of crop damage are tolerated and 'soft' or narrow-spectrum chemicals are preferred when selecting a spray option.
Weeds
I've got weeds in my brassica crop. How do I get rid of them?
If they are grass weeds, there are several post-emergence herbicides you can use. Fluazifop-P, sethoxydim, quizalofop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-tefuryl and clethodim are selective herbicides that kill grass weeds but will not affect the crop. Make sure you follow the label recommendations and observe the withholding period.
If your problem is broadleaf weeds, there are currently no herbicides registered for post-emergence use. If the crop is small but well established, mechanical cultivation may be an option. Otherwise handweeding is the only practical alternative.
An integrated approach to weed control to reduce the weed seed bank is essential. This includes crop rotations, soil cultivations and pre-irrigation to germinate weed seeds prior to planting. These weeds can then be killed with non-selective herbicides or mechanical cultivation prior to planting the crop.
Never allow weeds to set seed.
How do I decide which pre-emergence herbicide I use?
Six different active ingredients are registered for pre-emergence weed management in brassicas. Herbicide choice will depend on the planting method; the weed species likely to be a problem; the relative costs of application; the crops following in the rotation and the types of herbicides used in previous crops.
My problem with fat hen seems to be getting worse. What can I do about it?
It is likely that you have been using the same herbicide, such as metolachlor, for many years. Using the same herbicide continuously often results in a build-up of problem weeds. In this instance, a switch to oxyfluorfen or pendimethalin should provide better management of fat hen.
Following a lettuce or potato crop, I often have problems with sowthistle in my brassica crop. What can I do?
The first step is reduce sowthistle seedset in these previous crops. Strategies for achieving this are detailed in the Agrilink information kits for these crops. In the brassica crop, you will probably need to use the highest registered rate of pre-emergence herbicides that is safe to use as sowthistle is only moderately susceptible to most of the registered herbicides.
I don't want to use herbicides to control weeds. What are my options?
Even where herbicides are used, it is important to integrate them with other weed management practices. Controlling weeds is really about long-term management-by minimising seedset in previous crops, reducing weed seed and preventing weed emergence or killing weeds at all stages of crop growth. Apart from the three most commonly used control practices of mechanical cultivation, hand-weeding or spraying herbicides, techniques such as flaming, mulching, fumigation or solarisation can be tried.
I think the pre-emergence herbicide has damaged the crop. Why has this happened?
Firstly, make sure it is herbicides causing your problem. Root or leaf diseases, poor planting techniques, insect damage, nutrient deficiencies or toxicities or inclement weather can cause symptoms similar to herbicide damage.
Check your application practices. Contamination from previous spraying operations, incorrect calibration or double spraying will obviously cause problems. The margin for safety between good weed control and crop damage for most of the registered herbicides is not great. Most of these products should be used at lower rates on sandy soils. There are also different sensitivities to herbicides amongst the brassica vegetables and even between varieties.
Using spray chemicals
Why did the chemical spray fail to fix the problem?
Use a process of elimination to work out why the spray may have failed.
. Did you achieve good plant coverage? Poorly maintained and calibrated application equipment will not deliver the chemical to where it is needed. Some other factors are: insufficient water volumes (not chemical rate!) used to give good crop coverage; droplet size produced by spray equipment too large or too small; spraying in the middle of the day in hot conditions, spraying on windy or very still days. Some light air movement is needed to move droplets into the crop canopy.
. Did you select the right chemical for the job? Correct identification of the problem is essential as chemicals are only effective against specific insect or disease problems.
. Did you time the spray application to target the most susceptible stage of the pest's lifecycle? Large grubs are hard to kill-time sprays to target small caterpillars.
. Did you use the right chemical rate? If you tank-mixed different chemicals, are they compatible? Check the product label for information on application rates and product compatibility.
. Is the chemical still active? Store in a cool, dry place and check the chemical's use-by date.
. Is the pest resistant to the chemical? There are high general insecticide resistance levels in diamondback moth and heliothis in most production districts. Do not re-spray the crop with an insecticide from the same chemical group. Do not overuse insecticides from the one group but rotate amongst chemical groups.
. If you are attempting to control a high insect population, several well-timed sprays may be needed to control the pest outbreak.
. If you are having problems controlling a bacterial disease, limited chemical options and difficulty in keeping protectant chemicals on leaves in wet weather will make control difficult.
What is the best spray equipment to use?
Hydraulic boom sprayers are commonly used for spraying brassicas, with air assisted hydraulic boom sprayers becoming more popular in the last few years. Buy spray equipment that suits your situation and budget. Select equipment based on its ability to give good crop coverage. Make sure that the sprayer is set up correctly, is well maintained and regularly calibrated.
How do I calibrate my spray equipment?
Calibrating spray equipment involves measuring the output from each jet/nozzle, working out the volume of water applied per hectare and calculating the pesticide that needs to be added to the spray tank to give the correct application rate per hectare.
What is an MRL?
Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) is the maximum level of a chemical permitted to be present in a food. It is expressed as milligrams of chemical per kilogram (mg/kg) of the food. Produce at the markets is randomly tested for pesticide residue. Farmers have been prosecuted when chemical residues were found above the MRL, or residues of non-registered chemicals were found.
What is a withholding period (WHP)?
The withholding period is the number of days that must pass between the last chemical application and harvest; or for post harvest treatments, the number of days from treatment to consumption. It will be found on the chemical label.
Residues should be below the MRL if the chemicals are used at the registered rate and frequency and the withholding period is observed.
Do I need training in the safe use of chemicals?
In Australia restricted chemicals can only be supplied to or used by an authorised person. An authorised person is one who conducts the business of selling or supplying agricultural chemical products, or is a state licensed spray contractor, or is certified by ChemCert Australia. In some states you cannot buy chemicals unless you have a current spray accreditation.
Currently, by law in Queensland, you only need training in safe use of chemicals if you are a contractor spraying on other people's land or you want to buy restricted chemicals. However, most customers now see it as highly desirable for their growers to be able to demonstrate safe, responsible use of chemicals. One of the best ways to demonstrate this is to obtain a ChemCert accreditation.
Freshcare, SQF 2000, ISO 9002 + HACCP and supermarket Quality Management Standards require at least one person in the business (usually those involved in supervision of chemical use) to be accredited through an approved ChemCert course.
How do I get spray accreditation?
ChemCert Australia is a non-profit organisation which provides and supports this training and accreditation program through the state ChemCert organisations.
Every state has its own ChemCert organisation responsible for delivering training. In Queensland this is ChemCert Training Queensland Inc. Most courses run for one or two days with a cost to cover the training, resource manuals, assessment and administration. Training and assessment procedures are based on endorsed national competency standards and conducted only by qualified, trained and accredited instructors working through a Registered Training Organisation.
Accreditation is valid for five years with the expiry date shown on the Accreditation Card. To renew Accreditation after five years, participants must undergo one of ChemCert's reaccreditation training and assessment options.
How should I store my chemicals?
Chemicals need to be stored in accordance with the AS2507-1998 standard. This does not mean you will have to spend a fortune on elaborate storage facilities. You do, however, need to be aware of several safety, environmental and food safety factors whenever you deal with chemicals.
Information on correct storage of chemicals is covered in the ChemCert accreditation course. Employees of farm chemical resellers with Agsafe accreditations, which specifically relates to the handling, storage and transport of chemicals are also a useful source of information.
Do I need to keep a diary of spraying records?
Yes, you do! Records of chemical application are now one of the most important pieces of documentation you will need to be able to prove what you have done with chemicals. Most merchants and agents supplying the retail sector now expect you to keep spray records showing at least what was applied, how much, by whom and when the application took place.
Fertiliser
What fertilisers do I need?
A fertiliser application program should be based on the results of a complete soil analysis taken at least eight weeks before the intended planting date. Results from this analysis will also indicate if lime or dolomite is needed to increase the soil pH. Ideally, these products should be applied two or three months before planting, or when the previous crop or cover crop is incorporated.
Depending on the fertility of the soil, an establishment fertiliser containing nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium is usually applied at or just before planting. Supplementary side-dressings of nitrogen, sometimes potassium, may be required. These should be split into several applications with all fertiliser applied before heads start to form. It is standard practice to apply foliar sprays of boron and molybdenum early in the crop's growth in districts where deficiencies to these nutrients are common.
What is the difference between leaf and sap analyses?
Leaf analysis is a bench-marking tool that has little direct impact on the current crop. It measures the percentage of nutrient that has accumulated in the leaf and provides information on how well the crop has been grown up to that point. Its value is in assessing the fertilising schedule of the current crop and how it may be improved for subsequent crops. Optimum leaf nutrient levels for cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli are well established.
Sap analysis is a means of rapidly assessing a plant's current nutrient status. It can be used to highlight deficiencies of essential elements or to monitor the nitrate and potassium levels during the crop cycle. Sap testing can allow growers to adjust the fertiliser regime in the current crop and to correct any nutrient problems before yield or quality is affected. The flow of nutrients in sap is sensitive to factors other than nutrient supply so take care when interpretation of results.
Irrigation
What water quality can I use?
Brassicas are moderately tolerant of saline irrigation water, with broccoli more tolerant than cabbage or cauliflower. Brassicas should be irrigated with water that has an electrical conductivity (EC) of less than 1.7 dS/m (deciSiemens per metre). Irrigation water with an EC higher than this may reduce yields and cause damage under difficult growing conditions such as hot, dry, windy weather.
How much water do brassica crops need?
Brassica crops need between 2.5 to 4.0 megalitres (ML) of water per hectare of crop as either rain or irrigation. Brassicas are shallow rooted crops. Most of the roots are in the top 35 cm of soil and readily available soil moisture should be kept in that zone. The irrigation system must be capable of uniformly delivering the required amounts of water on demand, when the crop requires it. This can be up to twice per week during establishment.
How do I know when to irrigate and how much to apply?
Adequate watering during the first few weeks after planting is critical for crop establishment and any water stress at this stage will affect the yield and quality of the final product. In the first three weeks after transplanting apply light irrigations (10 to 15 mm) once or twice per week, depending on the weather. For direct sown crops, irrigate in this way for about five weeks after seedling emergence.
Once the crop is established the amount and timing of irrigation should be based on a soil moisture monitoring system such as tensiometers. Tensiometers measure the moisture status of the soil and allow irrigation to be timed to actual crop needs rather than an estimate of weather and soil conditions.
It is important that the irrigation system is capable of delivering water uniformly at the frequency and rate needed to meet the requirements of the crop.
Harvesting and postharvest handling
When is the crop ready for harvest?
Check with your seedling supplier or seed company representative on the number of days to harvest for each variety planted. This information will help in estimating the harvest date. If the weather is cooler than expected, the crop will take several days longer to mature. If it is warmer than expected, the crop may mature several days earlier than your estimated harvest date.
Typically cabbage and cauliflower mature between 10 to 12 weeks after transplanting in warm weather and 12 to 14 weeks in cool conditions. Broccoli matures a little faster than cabbage and cauliflower. Closely monitor your crop in the lead up to the estimated harvest date to ensure that harvesting begins at optimum crop maturity.
What yields can I expect?
Yields vary significantly with season and plant population. For broccoli, an average yield range of 900 to 1,000 icepacks per hectare would be expected with a plant population of 40,000 plants per hectare. In warm or wet weather, average yields can decrease to 700 icepacks or less per hectare.
For cauliflower, yields range from 1,500 to 2,000 cartons per hectare depending on planting density, cut out rates and heads packed per carton. Cauliflower is particuarly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and inclement weather.
For drumhead cabbage, an average yield of 16,000 heads per hectare would be expected on a planting density of 20,000 plants per hectare. Yields would be lower for crops grown under warm or wet temperatures or adverse weather conditions.
How do I pack cabbage, cauliflower or broccoli?
Industry wide grade standard regulations for broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower no longer apply. The grading standards you use should be negotiated with your agent, merchant or buyer.
Packaging for brassicas varies depending on the product and the market. For broccoli, two types of packages are commonly used, either waxed fibreboard vegetable cartons or polystyrene 'coffin' icepacks. Modified atmosphere bags can be used in unwaxed fibreboard cartons (along with pre-cooling) to extend shelf life. Some supermarkets require broccoli to be packaged using these bags. Cabbages and cauliflowers can be packed either in waxed vegetable cartons or in bulk bins, depending on customer requirements. Check with your wholesaler on preferred packaging for different markets.
Do I need to cool the produce?
Broccoli is highly perishable and pre-cooling to 0° to 2°C, starting within one hour of harvest, is essential. Forced-air cooling is the most common method of removing field heat quickly, but hydrocooling is also an option. Broccoli will store for two to three weeks at 0°C and a relative humidity of 95%, however cut stems may show some browning after this length of storage.
Rapid pre-cooling is not needed for cabbage but storage at 0° to 2°C is recommended if the product is to be kept for any length of time. Since the leaves are waxy and not susceptible to wilting, a high humidity cool room is not necessary.
Cauliflower is less perishable than broccoli but more sensitive to poor handling than cabbage. Cauliflower should be cooled by high humidity forced-air cooling as soon as possible after harvest. Storage should be at 0° to 2°C.
What is modified atmosphere packaging?
This type of packaging is more common for leafy brassicas such as pak choy but is also used for broccoli by some growers. Produce is cooled to between 1° and 5ºC using hydrocooling methods and then stored in a plastic film or bag which lines the box to be used for transport. Currently, growers most commonly use 'Longlife' bags (available from Gelpack Australia and many other plastic companies).
Modified atmosphere packaging is permeable to carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) in a manner that allows the atmosphere inside the package to be maintained at a certain CO2/O2 ratio. This lowers the respiration rate of the product and slows deterioration. Modified atmosphere packaging can increase the storage life of some leafy brassicas by more than 100% when used in combination with low storage temperatures.
Quality assurance
Why do I need 'quality assurance'?
Because your customers are, or soon will be, asking for it. The driving force behind this push for quality is food safety and the fear of litigation. There have been enough instances of food poisoning or injury resulting from food consumption, for retailers and other businesses in the food industry to ignore them at their peril. Some of these occurrences have been due to contaminated fruit or vegetables.
New national Food Safety Standards became enforceable from February 2001. Fruit and vegetable growers are part of the food industry and so retailers, wholesalers, processors and other handlers of fruit and vegetables have placed requirements on suppliers to ensure that the products they sell are going to be safe to eat. In future, you will probably not be able to market fruit and vegetables without demonstrating that you have an effective food safety management system of some type in place. Quality management systems provide the framework for this to be achieved.
What quality assurance standard do I need?
If you market directly to a supermarket they will tell you what you need. It will be one of either SQF 2000, SQF 1000, ISO 9002 + HACCP or a supermarket Quality Management Standard.
If you supply to a wholesaler/agent or processor, you will need to be an approved supplier to them if they want to on-sell your product to the supermarkets. The minimum requirement to be an approved supplier to a wholesaler currently varies between wholesalers, but the Freshcare Code of Practice is gaining popularity around Australia as providing acceptable food safety practices to meet the supermarkets' requirements for approved suppliers.
What is HACCP?
The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) method is an internationally recognised, systematic approach to identify, evaluate and control hazards to product specifications. HACCP relies on prevention to ensure food is safe to eat, but has also been applied to ensure customers' quality requirements are met.
HACCP was developed from the need to produce safe food for the US space program and is now widely used by all sectors of the food industry as the preferred system to manage food safety. HACCP is a key component of SQF 2000, SQF 1000 and the Woolworths Quality Management Standard. These standards require that HACCP address food safety and product quality.
What is an approved supplier program?
An approved supplier program involves suppliers carrying out practices that will provide assurance to a customer that produce is safe to eat and of acceptable quality. Suppliers need to keep sufficient records to demonstrate that the agreed practices are a part of everyday operations. The customer or someone on behalf of the customer will periodically check that suppliers are carrying out the practices.
Examples of where approved supplier programs are required:
. Growers supplying harvested produce to commercial packers and processors.
. Growers and packers supplying packed produce to wholesalers.
. Growers supplying packed produce to a marketing group.
What is Freshcare?
Freshcare is the name for a national, industry-managed program for certification of approved suppliers. It has been designed to provide independent auditing of a HACCP-based food safety program implemented by growers.
A Freshcare Code of Practice has been developed which lists practices and documentation growers need to implement in order to meet the requirements of a Freshcare audit, and so provide assurance to customers that their produce is safe to eat.
Environmental management
What is an EMS?
An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a systematic approach to managing the impacts that a business has on the environment. An EMS does not dictate levels of environmental performance, however it should enable a business to comply with legislative requirements concerning the environment. It should also build on existing activities such as industry best management practices, industry codes of practice and quality assurance schemes.
What type of EMS do I need?
We do not know when or what type of EMS will be required in the horticulture industry within the next few years. It will depend in part on the markets you are aiming to supply. As a minimum, you should become familiar with the Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers (QFVG) Farmcare Code of Practice for fruit and vegetables. It was developed by QFVG (now Growcom) to assist growers meet their general environmental duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1994.
The most widely recognised auditable international EMS standard is ISO 14001. This process standard requires a business to have an implemented, documented environmental policy in place which is available to the public. It also requires the business to have a documented environmental management system in place that is capable of being audited by an accredited third party. ISO 14001 does not prescribe specific levels of environmental performance but it does require a business to be able to identify and have access to all relevant environmental legislation.
In Europe, a protocol based on good agricultural practice called EurepGAP has been operating since the late 1990's. A significant number of Australian horticultural businesses are working towards EurepGAP in order to meet compliance deadlines stipulated by UK/ European retailers and importers for 2004.
Enviroveg is a relatively new program from the Australian Vegetable and Potato Growers Federation (AUSVEG). Enviroveg is committed to encouraging vegetable growers throughout Australia to adopt and implement good environmental practices. It includes a self-assessment tool to help growers compare their current farming practices with the environmental best practice activities listed in the Enviroveg guidelines.
Farm safety
What are my workplace health and safety obligations?
Australian agriculture has one of the highest rates of workplace accidents. Your obligation as an employer and farm manager are based on three principles-a concern for people and their well-being including yourself and your family; sound business management and compliance with current workplace health and safety legislation.
The best way to meet your obligations is to take part in the Managing Farm Safety program developed by Farmsafe Australia. This program is aimed at developing skills in risk management of farm safety-an approach that is consistent with the way other farm business risks are managed. The training course and resource package are based on real data about the major risks on Australian farms, including specific agricultural industries, and takes into account the requirements of current occupational health and safety legislation.
Marketing and economics
Are brassica crops worth growing?
In general terms, vegetables are in oversupply on the domestic market for much of the year. Prices can fluctuate widely and brassicas are no exception. There are seasonal trends for brassicas, with best prices usually received over the summer months. However, unless you are planning to grow the crop in the cooler, highland districts of Queensland, you will find it difficult to take advantage of these potentially higher prices. High summer temperatures make production of quality brassicas difficult in other parts of Queensland.
Brassica production is labour intensive, pest and disease management can be difficult; access to suitable cooling facilities is desirable for cabbage and cauliflower and essential for broccoli. Good management and communication skills are needed to produce and market the crop successfully.
Of the three crops, cabbage is perhaps easier to grow successfully for first-time vegetable growers. A cabbage crop has lower up-front input costs than cauliflower or broccoli. Cauliflower is the riskiest as production costs are high, yields can vary substantially and the crop requires more agronomic and management expertise to grow successfully. Investigate your target market thoroughly and make a realistic estimate of growing, harvesting and marketing costs before deciding to plant.
Are there any requirements for exporting brassicas?
Produce destined for export markets must be of high quality and free from insect pests and disease. Requirements and product specifications vary for different markets. Some countries require a phytosanitary certificate, others do not. Product destined for export must, at some stage, pass through a Registered Export Establishment (REE). The Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) supervises registration of these establishments.
Growers intending to grow for the export market must undertake extensive market research to ensure that their product meets the specific requirements of the country and markets they intend to supply. A good relationship with wholesalers is essential to ensure that product meets both the customer's specifications and any quarantine requirements.
Further information
The growing guide Brassica grower's handbook and the picture guide Brassica problem solver & beneficial identifier produced by the DPI&F, provide information on all aspects of growing and marketing brassica crops in Australia.
The grower's handbook includes the following chapters:
- Before you start
A checklist of things you need to know before you start growing the crop.
- Common questions
The most commonly asked questions about growing the crop.
- Growing the crop
Our guide for establishing, producing and marketing the crop.
- Key issues
Detailed information on the key decisions affecting the crop.
- Contacts and references
A list of industry organisations, product suppliers and further reading.
- Handy guides
A series of tables showing chemical uses and registrations.
- Index
An A to Z index to help you find information quickly.
The picture guide shows symptom based pictures of pests, diseases and disorders, as well as a range of the beneficial insects and spiders that provide some natural control of the pests.
For further information on the Agrilink series, see the list of contacts on the Agrilink website.
DPI&F information and services
- To access DPI&F's information and services, Queensland residents can contact the DPI&F Business Information Centre on 13 25 23 for the cost of a local call. The Business Information Centre is open 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays); E-mail callweb@dpi.qld.gov.au. Non-Queensland residents phone (07) 3404 6999.
- Current national information on agricultural chemicals registered for use on all crops is available on the Infopest CD-ROM. Write to DPI&F, GPO Box 46, Brisbane, Qld. 4001, E-mail infopest@dpi.qld.gov.au, visit the Infopest web page, or phone (07) 3239 3967 for further information.
Industry links
- Industry links is a page of links to various sites of interest to horticultural growers.
Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Queensland has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. Readers should ensure that they make appropriate inquiries to determine whether new information is available on the particular subject matter.
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Last updated 4 October 2005
