A Complete Guide to Mustard Crop Cultivation: Very Simple Steps.

The mustard crop is widely cultivated in North America and Asia. At the same time, a significant amount is also grown in the United States and Europe. So, we don’t need to discuss further to understand the important role mustard crops play in the agricultural economy.

In this article, I will guide you through the entire mustard crop cultivation process step by step, whether you are new to mustard cultivation or just looking to refresh your knowledge, this article will be helpful for you.

Planting and Cultivation

To get a profitable mustard yield, following proper planting and cultivation methods is essential. ( Typically, mustard crop yield per hectare is around 1.7 metric tons.) Below, I have carefully outlined a detailed method of cultivating mustard crops to help you maximize your crop yield.

Ideal Thriving Conditions for Mustard Crop

The mustard crop flourishes best in full sun and in moderately cool weather, whereas temperatures over 75° F (23.89°C) are detrimental for it.

Moreover, fertile, moist, well-drained, and mildly acidic soil (with a pH of 4.8 to 8.5) helps mustard to provide good production. Sandy soil is not good for sowing mustard crops, as it is not good at holding moisture.

Additionally, the ideal time for planting mustard crops is during the transition period from summer to cooler weather. In the United States, the best planting period is from September to early October.

Seed sowing

When it comes to sowing mustard, farmers typically use either the drill or broadcasting seed sowing technique. For drill sowing, use 5-12 pounds of seed per acre, with 7-12 inches apart each row. On the other hand, for broadcasting, sow 10-15 pounds of seed per acre.

In terms of drilled muster crop sowing, the depth is very important. Don’t exceed ½ inch in depth, as its seeds are very small, deep planting could hamper germination.

Note: Seed per acre and row spacing can vary slightly depending on the mustard variety.

Water and Nutrient Management.

Mustard crops need medium moist soil, neither too dry nor too moist soil over several consecutive weeks. So, you have to be tricky to keep soil medium humid.

There are two critical periods of mustard crop water demand, the first one is before pre-flowering stage, and the second one is before seed appearance.

So, you have to be extra mindful about soil moisture levels during these two periods.

Additionally, it is very difficult to say which type and how much fertilizer is needed to cultivate mustard crops in your farmland. Since fertilizer dose depends on soil nutrients.

The best way to determine which and how much fertilizer is needed for mustard cultivation on your farm is to test your farm soil. Based on the result, the testing organization will recommend what and how much fertilizer you should use.

However, to give you an overview of the most commonly used fertilizer in mustard cultivation, I am providing a rough fertilizer list below.

• Nitrogen: 80 kg per hectare.
• Potassium: 40 kg per hectare.
• Phosphorus: 40 kg per hectare.
• Zinc sulphate: 25 kg per hectare.
• Sulphur:40kg per hectare.
• Cow dung: 600-800 kg per hectare.

Pest, Disease, and Weed Control

To avoid financial loss, you must be aware of mustard crop pests, disease, and weed regulation, as these problems can cause huge yield reductions.

From Wikimedia Commons, By Patrick Clement, licensed under CC BY 2.0

Common Pest and Symptoms of Mustard Crop

1. Flea Beetles

Symptoms: Shink, black beetles create a little hole on cotyledons and true leaves.

Suitable condition: Hot and dry weather.

Management: Early planting and balanced fertilization help mustard outgrow the damage. If havoc exceeds 25% use insecticides.

2. Mustard Aphid ( Lipaphis erysmi)

Symptoms: Suck sap, as a result, leaves become curled and appear blighted. Severe infestations lead to stunted plants with sooty mold.

Management: To control Mustard Aphids biologically, encourage beneficial insects such as ladybird beetles and hoverflies. In severe cases, apply Dimethoate (1.5 ml/L of water) during the flowering stage. Early planting can also help prevent mustard aphid infestations.

3. Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella)

Symptoms: Young larvae cause whitish patches on leaves and eventually defoliate plants. It also affects leaves, buds, and even seeds.

Management: Apply Emamectin Benzoate (80g/acre) to control larvae.

4. Leaf Webber (Crocidolomia binotalis)

Symptoms: Form webs on older leaves, buds, and pods, leading to defoliation.

Management: Spray Fenvalerate (2.5ml/L water) to control the larvae.

Common Disease and Symptoms.

1. White Mold

Ideal condition: Affects mustard in humid weather.

Management: Rotate mustard with small grains to prevent build-up and reduce disease pressure.

2. Powdery Mildew

Symptoms: White circular spots appear on leaves, stems, and on seeds. The affected seed becomes small and wrinkled.

Management: Apply Merivon (0.4 ml/L water) or Luna (1 ml/L water) sprays.

3. White Rust

Symptoms: White pustules form on the backside of leaves. Stag-head deformities may appear on the plant.

Management: Use Contaf (2 ml/L water) or Tilt (1 ml/L water) for effective control.

4. Viral Infections

Viruses: Arabis mosaic, broad bean wilt, cauliflower mosaic, and turnip mosaic. These viruses are typically spread by aphids.

Management: Plant virus-resistant varieties, practice crop rotation, and control aphid population.

Weed control

Weed control is essential in mustard cultivation. Weed can reduce yield. Besides, weeds reduce market quality by mixing unwanted seeds. To prevent weeds, choose a clean field for cultivation and sow seeds shallowly. Additionally, weeding 15-20 days and again 35-40 days after planting helps manage weeds and promotes plant growth.

Harvest time.

Recognizing the right time for mustard harvesting is crucial. If you miss harvesting time, the mustard will overripe, leading to significant crop shattering and financial losses. The ideal time to harvest mustard is when the field turns green to brown.

Note: Brown and oriental mustard crops tend to shatter more easily than yellow verity. So, it is advisable to adopt swathed harvesting method for brown and oriental mustard crops.