Commercial production
Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland.
- Figure 1. Mature Chinese mustard (var. rugosa) and a young Chinese mustard (var. foliosa)
An extremely diverse range of Chinese mustards or mustard greens is grown, varieties
differ enormously. Most varieties are pickled, less bitter varieties are used in salads,
when very young, for their peppery taste (Figure 1). Chinese mustard (Brassica
juncea) is also known as gai choy, Indian mustard, leaf mustard, mustard
cabbage, bamboo mustard cabbage and sow cabbage. The broad-leaved group of
mustard greens is classified as var. rugosa while the thinner leaf
mustards commonly used in salads are often classified as var.
foliosa.
Climate and soil
Chinese mustard is a cool season crop planted mainly in spring and autumn, but can be produced year round. It is generally sensitive to the cold, preferring warm, humid conditions, but some varieties are cold tolerant and can survive frosts. It is usually grown under cover in temperate climates. Chinese mustard tolerates high rainfall but is susceptible to drought and dry conditions.
Chinese mustard prefers well-drained sandy loams with high organic matter, but will grow on a wide range of soils. The ideal soil pH is between 5.5 and 6.8, it is quite tolerant to soil acidity. Chinese mustard is useful as a rotation with pea crops and wheat crops as they suppress a number of root rots in the soil.
Cultivation
Mustard green seeds are extremely small so should either be sown in situ and thinned out later or sown into seedling trays and later transplanted. Plant seed less than 0.5 cm deep in rows 30 to 46 cm apart, with 10 to 45 cm between plants. If transplanting from seedling trays, plant into the field at 3 to 4 weeks when plants are 7 to 8 cm high.
A soil application of 120 kg/ha N, preferably as calcium nitrate, is optimal for mustard greens.
Pests and disease
Aphids, slugs, diamondback moth and Alternaria are major problems seen in Chinese mustard. They can be controlled using a pesticide registered for that problem.
Harvesting, storage and marketing
Young Chinese mustard is harvested 45 to 55 days after planting by cutting at the base. When young, two to three plants are bunched together usually with rubber bands or string. Larger plants are usually harvested after 60 to 70 days and sold individually. Take extreme care to prevent moisture loss while harvesting. Chinese mustard is best stored at between 1 and 5°C and at a relative humidity of 90 to 95%.
Additional information sources
- Larkcom, J. (1991), Oriental Vegetables. John Murray (Publishers) Ltd, London.
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, from 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.
Last updated 20 September 2007
