**7.3 Cabbage and cauliflower**

#### *7.3.1 Important pests*

Diamondback moth (*Plutella xylostella*), head borer (*Hellula undalis*), leaf webber (*Crocidolomia binotalis*), cabbage aphid (*Brevicoryne brassicae*), cabbage butterfly (*Pieris brassicae*), tobacco caterpillar (*S. litura*).

Removal and destruction of plant remnants, stubbles, debris after harvest and ploughing the field. Sowing 2 rows of bold seeded mustard as a trap crop for every 25 rows of cabbage to attract moths to mustard [61]. Grow intercrops such as tomato, garlic, coriander and carrot in alternate rows with cabbage. Installing pheromone traps @ 4–5/acre for monitoring [62]. Release egg parasitoid, *T. chilonis/pretiosum* @ 20,000/acre 4–6 times at weekly interval and larval parasitoids [63], *Diadegma semiclausm* @ 1,00,000/acre (Hills – below 25–27°C) or *Cotesia plutellae* (plains) @ 20,000/acre from 20 days after planting. Fungal pathogens, for example, *Paecilomyces*  *spp*. and Zoophthoraradican are effective. Cabbage borers collect and destroy caterpillars mechanically in the early stages of attack. Remove and destroy the webbed leaves with caterpillars and set up light traps @ 1/acre. Conserve parasitoids such as *Cotesia crocidolomiae* etc. for managing Cabbage leaf webber. For cabbage butterfly, fine-mesh netting in nursery will stop butterflies from reaching the crop and laying eggs. Collect and destroy eggs or caterpillars mechanically by hand- usually on the underside of the leaves. Release *Trichogramma spp*. and erect bird perches. Conserve parasitoids such as *Cotesia glomeratus* (larval), *Pteromalus puparum* (larval), *Aphidius colemani* (adult and nymph), *Diaeretiella spp*. (adult and nymph), *Aphelinus spp*. (adult and nymph) and predators such wasps, green lacewings, earwigs, ground beetles, rove beetles, spiders etc. [64]. Foliar spray with dimethoate 30% EC @ 264 ml in 200–400 l of water/acre or fenvalerate 20% EC @ 120–150 ml in 240–300 l of water/acre or phosalone 35% EC @ or acetamiprid 20% SP. Foliar spray with 5% NSKE or azadirachtin 0.03% (300 ppm) neem oil-based WSP. Spraying flubendiamide 20% WG or lufenuron 5.4% EC or spinosad 2.5% SC or indoxacarb 15.8% EC @ or emamectin benzoate 5% SG or fipronil 5% SC of water/acre (Last spray should be 15 days before harvesting) [65].
