Growing Cauliflower in Winter under Passive Solar Greenhouse in Trans Himalayan Ladakh, India

Phunchok Angmo; Tsering Dolma; Anand K Katiyar; O. P. Chaurasia; Tsering Stobdan

doi:10.14429/dlsj.5.15701

Phunchok Angmo DRDO-Defence Institute of High Altitude Research, Leh Ladakh-194101, India http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8088-4480
Tsering Dolma DRDO-Defence Institute of High Altitude Research, Leh-Ladakh - 194 101, India http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5696-1490
Anand K Katiyar DRDO-Defence Institute of High Altitude Research, Leh Ladakh - 194 101, India http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3640-1319
O. P. Chaurasia DRDO-Defence Institute of High Altitude Research, Leh-Ladakh - 194 101, India http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2921-2755
Tsering Stobdan Defence Institute of High Altitude Research http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7859-3868

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14429/dlsj.5.15701

Keywords: Brassica oleracea, Diurnal temperature variation, Protected cultivation, Passive solar greenhouse, High altitude agriculture

Abstract

Traditionally cauliflower is not grown during winter months in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region due to sub-zero degree celsius at night. Accordingly, the feasibility of growing cauliflower, a temperature-sensitive crop, was studied during winter months in a passive solar greenhouse in the high altitude (elevation 3340 m) trans-Himalayan Ladakh region. Studies were conducted during 2017-2020 with three commercial varieties. Curd was formed in all the varieties despite the temperature extremes (0.0±1.6 to 39.5±0.9 ºC) in the greenhouse. Harvesting was done in the month of February. The mean marketable curd weight ranged from 258±113 to 743±62 g depending on variety and year, which suggested that cauliflower can be successfully grown during winter months in the trans-Himalaya. However, the marketable curd weight was significantly lower as compared to the yield potential of the varieties. High temperature inside the greenhouse resulted in the occurrence of fuzziness, and it ranged from 0-35% of the harvested curd depending on the year and variety. Fuzziness was not observed in cv Shentha while 10.4-35% of cv Amazing exhibited fuzziness.