Turnip
Turnip
The true Turnip and theRutabaga (Swede Turnip) are frequently listedin the trade under the common name ofturnip. Actually, the Turnip has little or noneck, the leaves and petioles are hairy andcoarse and the root texture is quite coarse. TheRutabaga B. napobrassica, on the other hand,has a distinct crown or neck, leaves that aresmooth and covered .with a bluish bloom. Theroots are larger than Turnip, finer texture andtake longer to mature.
Varieties
`White Milan’ and ‘White Flat Dutch’ areearly flat sorts (40-45 days) popular in thesouth as are also ‘Seven Top’ and `Shogrin’grown only for greens. ‘Purple Top WhiteGlobe’ and ‘Snowball’ are popular white-fleshed varieties or ‘Aberdeen’, a later maturingturnip, 75-80 days, which is yellow fleshed.
Culture
Turnips will thrive on all types of soil thatare properly prepared by the application of 20-30 bu. of well-rotted animal manure or approxi-mately 40 lbs. of a 5-8-7 or 5-10-5 commercialfertilizer per moo sq. ft. The use of organicmatter, rotted manure or compost is advisablefor both very light sandy soils or the heavierclay loams
The seed is sown where the crop is to maturein drills 15 in. apart where hand cultivation ispracticed. After the plants become establishedthey are thinned to a 3-5-in. spacing. Thevarieties, ‘Seven Top’ and `Shogrin’ are notthinned. Since turnips are a cool-season cropthe seed is planted early in the spring and in latesummer in the North and during the fall andwinter in the South.
The varieties ‘Purple Top White Globe’ and’Aberdeen Yellow’ may be harvested in the falland stored for several months.
Diseases and Insects
Turnips are subject to most of the samediseases and insects common to Cabbage. Clubroot and black root are the most seriousdiseases and aphids, root maggot and fleabeetles the most common inscct pests.
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Turnip
Synonyms: B. eampestris L. var. rapifera Metz; B. campestris L. var. rape; B. rapa L. var. rape Thell.
COMMON NAME
Turnip (Eng.); Navet (Fr.); Nabo Rutabaga (Sp.); Kohl-rube (Ger.); Koolraap (Neth.).
CENTRE OF ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION
Central and southern Europe, possibly the Mediterranean area; now widely distributed throughout the tropics.
AREAS OF CULTIVATION
India, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines; Central, East and West Africa; the
Caribbean.
Diploid chromosome number: 2n = 20.
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
A biennial herb, grown as an annual.
Roots: swollen, tuberous, forming a tap root which may be globular or flattened, normally white.
Stems: flattened, conical, at apex of root.
Leaves: basal leaves light green, petiolate, lyrate-pinnatifid, with large terminal lobe, hairy, without wax.
Flowers: pale or bright yellow, sepals spreading, petals 6-10 mm long; the two outer stamens are curved outwards at the base and are shorter than the inner stamens.
Fruits: 4-6.5 cm in length, with a tapering beak.
Seeds: round, black or red-brown, 1.5-2 mm in diameter, containing oil; weight of 1000 seeds approximately 35 g.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE
Very few cultivars are suitable for growing at low elevations but satisfactory yields are obtained from crops grown at 1000 m or more. Light shade is some- times beneficial for plants grown for leaf consumption. Plants are not tolerant to excessive rainfall or poor soil drainage conditions. Cultivation is more successful during a dry season. Variation in environmental conditions is likely to affect the nutritional value of the crop and the light intensity can be approximately related to the ascorbic acid content of the leaves and roots. A soil with a pH level in the region of 6.0-6.8 appears most suitable. Crops grown on soils with a high clay content may develop forked or mis-shapen roots.
CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS
Propagation and planting
Seeds are sown direct, at a depth of 1-2 cm in rows 25-30 cm apart and thinned to 10-15 cm apart in the row. Approximately 2.5-3 kg seed is required per hectare.
Irrigation
This should be regular since low levels of soil moisture may lead to the develop- ment of small roots. The rooting zone of turnips is relatively shallow; irrigation may therefore have to be applied frequently in dry weather to keep this zone adequately supplied with water.
Nutrient requirements
Phosphorus and nitrogen should be applied in a pre-sowing dressing; potassium normally appears to be present in adequate quantities in most tropical soils.
GROWTH PERIOD AND HARVESTING
Early cultivars may be harvested 60-70 days from sowing, when the roots are 4-6 cm in diameter.
Yield
Usually in the region of 20-25 t/ha.
Seed production
Flowers are rarely formed under high temperature conditions. Where flowering does occur and it is intended to produce seed, it is essential to ensure that isolation is 500 m from other sources of pollen of this crop.
PREPARATION FOR MARKET AND STORAGE
The roots should be white, sometimes with a purple crown, and undamaged during harvesting. They should be round and solid, free of fibrous tissues. Lateral roots should be trimmed to improve appearance.
The maintenance of a relative humidity of 95% will reduce weight loss; storage at 0-1°C may keep roots in good condition for up to 120-150 days.
USE AND NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION
Both roots and leaves are normally cooked, although the leaves are sometimes used in salads.
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