Ten acre Field of GLOBE on Yellows sick soil in Illinois. Note heavy yield, large, round, uniform heads. 
CAN YOU PROPERLY IDENTIFY CABBAGE DISEASES? 
These five are the principal ones. 
CABBAGE YELLOWS 
Syrnptoms: The foliage appears lifeless and a yellowish green color. Leaves 
usually become curled or warped, later becoming dry with a bluish-black cast, 
followed by a pre-matured dropping of the lower leaves. Death of entire plant 
usually results. When base of leaves or stems of invaded plants are cut across, 
the woody rings appear brown. 
Cause: A soil-borne organism which is capable of living indefinitely in the 
soil after once present. Not seed-borne. 
Control: The only control is through the use of Yellow Resistant strains of 
cabbage seed. 
BLACK ROT 
Sy mptoms: Plants may be affected at any stage of development. Foliage first 
becomes yellowed in small areas, followed by a spread and blackening of the 
veins. Often passes from leaves into the stem and thus to other parts of the 
plant. Affected leaves gradually turn brown, die, and drop off prematurely. 
The woody rings of the stem become blackened in contrast to the browning 
as is the case with Yellows. Often confused with Yellows. 
Cause: A bacterium which winters over in plant debris, in the soil, and seed. 
Seed-borne. 
Control: Use Western grown seed; Western grown seed is not known to carry 
either Black Rot or Black Leg. Hot water seed treatment. In the North, 
practice a two to three-year rotation. 
BLACK LEG 
Symptoms: First appear as small discolored sunken areas on the stem, usually 
at the surface of the ground. These gradually enlarge, killing the base of the 
stem, causing the plant to wilt and die; without premature dropping of leaves. 
On the leaves of older plants appear irregular grayish spots, becoming dry and 
covered with minute raised black specks. (The fruiting bodies of the fungus) 
Cause: An organism which over-winters in plant debris, in the soil, and 
seed. Seed-borne. 
Control: Same as used for Black Rot. 
CABBAGE MOSAIC 
The cabbage mosaic disease has recently become of major importance in some 
areas. Symptoms are characterized on young cabbage as general vein clearing 
beginning at the margin, followed by mottling and then death. Infected leaves 
express a variety of patterns from isolated small dead areas to diffused and 
larger areas throughout the leaf and veins. Defoliation in the field is common. 
In mature heads internal spotting or speckling is found throughout. Diseased 
plants are much weakened and may succumb as a result. 
Control: Eradicate winter host (Shepards-Purse). Aphids (plant lice) carry 
and spread the disease in the field, and from winter host to cabbage. Control 
aphids. Will not over-winter on the dead plants. As yet not proven to be 
seed borne. 
CLUB ROOT 
Symptoms: Enlarged lumps on main root and on fibre roots. Outer leaves, 
particularly the lower ones, hang down during hot dry weather. Plant event¬ 
ually wilts and dies. 
Cause; A soil-borne organism which lives for a number of years in the soil. 
Attacks many members of the cabbage family. 
Control: Liming the seed bed is a necessary precaution. Liming the field 
co.itrols in some cases; but a definite control has not yet been discovered. 
It is not seed-borne. Rotate with other crops for several years. Do not use 
plants from infested seed bed. Eradicate weeds belonging to the cabbage family. 
