This document provides information on the production technology of turnip. It discusses the botany of turnip, including its botanical name and family. It describes propagation methods, suitable soil and climate conditions, field preparation procedures, seed rates, sowing times, fertilizer needs, irrigation, weed control, harvesting, post-harvest handling, common pests and diseases, and popular varieties of turnip. The document is intended to serve as a guide for farmers on how to successfully grow turnip as a crop.

1. PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY OF TURNIP
Name: J. JAIGANESH
Reg.no:RA1871001010017
Course:HOR18403-Production technology
of sub-tropical and temperate vegetable
crops

2. CONTENTS:
1. Introduction
2. Botany of Turnip
3. Propagation Methods
4. Soil and Climate
5. Field Preparation
6. Seed Rate and Sowing
7. Sowing Time
8. Manure and Fertilizers
9. Irrigation
10.Inter-Culture and Weed control
11.Harvesting and Post- Harvest Handling
12.Yield
13.Insect-Pest
14.Disease
15.Varieties

3. TURNIP
INTRODUCTION
Botanical Name - Brassica rapa L.
Family - Cruciferae
Chromosome no. 2n = 20
Origin- The Mediterranean Region.
Turnip is biennial in nature.
Turnip greens are extensively used as green fodder and seldom as a green vegetable.
Roots are good source of vitamin ‘B’ and ‘C’.
Green leaves are rich source of vitamin ‘A’ ( 15660 IU/100 g ) .
The edible part is modified root (napiform), which is a hypocotyl.
Turnip is grown in Northern parts of India specially in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
It can be grown at an elevation of 1,500 MSL or above but it is not suitable for growing in
low lands of wet tropics.
 Turnip is mainly grown for its enlarged root.

4. Botany of Turnip
The fleshy thickened underground portion of turnip is actually the hypocotyl.
A distinct tap root and secondary roots arise from the lower part of the swollen
hypocotyl.
Normally roots attain edible maturity in 40-80 days depending on cultivar and
cultural condition.
The leaves and petioles are hairy and coarse , and yellowish-green in colour.
The inflorescence is a terminal raceme on the main stem
Propagation Methods of Turnip
 Mass selection is commonly adopted for turnip improvement.
 Turnip has strong saprophytic system of self incompatibility there is no need of
emasculation.
 Sodium chloride and carbon dioxide can also be used for overcoming self-
incompatibility

5. Soil and Climate
 The best suited soil for turnip is deep loam to clay loam .
 A moderately deep, friable, fertile well drained soil is ideal .
 The optimum pH is 5.5 - 6.8 .
 The most favourable weather for the development of root is 10°- 13° C air-
temperature and 18°-23° C soil-temperature.
 The crop required cool and moderate climate.
 It can tolerate frost and mildly freezing temperature.
 High temperature adversely affects quality, the roots become woody, tough and
bitter in taste in hot weather.
 Asiatic varieties can tolerate quite warm weather compared to the European
types. Temperature below 10° C induces flowering and causes bolting.

6. Field Preparation
 The land should be ploughed to a depth of 15-20 cm. and soil should be brought to
good tilth.
 A basal dose of 20 tones of FYM or compost should be applied/ ha. at the last
ploughing and ridges and furrows formed.
 One deep ploughing followed by 2-3 shallow ploughings are sufficient to make the
soil surface smooth, loose, friable and free from clods.
 The last ploughing should be followed by planking to level the field.
Seed Rate and Sowing
 3-4 kg of seed is sufficient for sowing the crop in one hectare area.
 Seeds are sown on the ridges at a depth of 1.5-2.5 cm deep. The row and plant
spacing of 30-45 and 7.7-15 cm respectively should be adopted to get higher yield .
 Sowing can be done either by hand or by seed drills.

7. Sowing Time
Tropical Type - End of July to September.
Temperate Type – September to December.
Lower Hills – July – October.
High Hills - July – September.
Manure and Fertilizers
 Turnip requires high amount of N and P similar to other root crops.
 Application of 200-500 q. well rotten FYM, 60-80 kg N and 40-50 kg each of
phosphorus and potassium per hectare.
 Nitrogen should be applied in two splits ie. half at the time of field preparation and
remaining dose as top dressing at the time of knob formation.
 The entire dose of phosphorus and potash each should be applied at the time of
field preparation.

8. Irrigation
 Pre-sowing irrigation is essential for better germination of seeds.
 The water requirement would be about 300 mm.
 In general, the crops is irrigated at 7 days intervals till harvest.
Inter-Culture and Weed Control
 Thinning is an essential operation to maintain optimum plant population.
 Infected plant should be thinned out keeping a distance of 10-15 cm from plant to
plant.
 About two shallow weeding and hoeings are sufficient to raise a healthy crop.
 One earthing at 20-25 days after sowing should be done to provide good
environment for proper root development. Weeds can also be checked with pre-
emergence application of herbicides like Pendimethalin (1 kg/ha) or Fluchloralin (1-
1.5 kg/ha) or Nitrofen (2.5 kg/ha) .

9. Harvesting and Post-harvest Handling
Turnip is harvested when the roots are tender and attain marketable size.
Harvesting roots of 5.0-7.5 cm diameter would be ideal and larger roots are often
coarse in texture and bitter in taste.
A light irrigation is necessary just before harvesting to facilitate lifting.
The entire plant are uprooted, roots separated, cleaned and tops are cut .
The keeping quality of turnip is poor.
Dipping the roots in hot paraffin will help reduce shrinkage and improve the
appearance.
Yield
 The yield of turnip varies from 200-300q/ha depending on the variety, climate,
type of soil and management practices.

10. Insect-Pest
Aphid ( Myzus persicae, Liphapis erysimi )
 Symptoms
 Insect suck the sap from the tender parts of plant.
 In case of heavy infestation leaves become curled, yellowed and finally die.
 Control
 Spray the crop with Malathion ( 0.1%) or Phosphamidon (0.05%) and repeat the spray after
10 days , if necessary.
Mustard saw fly ( Athalia proxima)
 Symptoms
 The grubs make holes in the leaves and fruits .
 It appear at both vegetative and flowering stage of crop.
 Control
 Spray Carbaryl (0.2%) or Dichlorovos (0.05%) at weekly interval.

11. Flea beetle ( Phyllotreta spp. )
 Symptoms
 Beetles attack on the leaves and make circular holes.
 The affected leaves skeletonized.
 Control
 Uproot weed host.
 Spray the crop with Malathion (0.1%) or Carbaryl (0.2%) at 15 days
interval.

12. Disease
 Downey Mildew, Powdery Mildew, Brown Heart are the major disease affecting the
crop.
 Control
 Application of Borax at 20-25 kg/ha and spraying Indofil M 45 at 0.2% will be
effective in controlling these diseases.
Crown Rot in Turnip:

13. Varieties
A. European or Temperate types
Purple Top White Glob:
 It is large rooted and heavy yielding variety developed at IARI Regional Station,
Katrain.
 Roots nearly round, large, smooth, skin purplish red on upper portion which
extend above soil surface, lower portion creamy coloured.
 Best for dehydration.
 Mature in 60-65 days after sowing.
 Average yield 250-300 q/ha.

14. Golden Ball
 It was breed at IARI Regional Research Station, Katrain.
 It gives globe shaped, smooth, yellow roots with sweet and yellow flesh.
 It yields 200-250 q/ha

15. Pusa Chandrima
It is an early maturity variety.
It is developed by hybridization between Japanese White ( Asiatic type ) ∞ Golden
Ball ( European type ).
Roots medium to large in size, 8-9 cm in length and 9-10 cm in diameter, white skin
with white colour flesh, fine grained, sweet and tender.

16. Early Milan Top Red
 It is extra early maturing variety and ready within 45 days .
 Very high yielding variety with deep flat roots having purplish red tops and white
underneath.
 It is pure white, well-grained, crispy and midly pungent flesh.

17. Snow Ball
 It is an early variety .
 Roots are round, medium sized, smooth and white.
 Flesh is white, fine grained, crisp and midly pungent flesh.
Pusa Swarnima
This variety has been developed at IARI Regional Research Station, Katrain .
This variety is developed by hybridization between Japanese White ( Asiatic type)
∞ Golden Ball (European type).
Roots are fattish round, 6-7 cm in length and 7-8 cm in diameter, light creamy,
yellow skin pale amber colour flesh, crisp and midly pungent flesh, fine texture and
flavor.

18. Asiatic or Tropical Types
Pusa Kanchan
It is a selection from the cross Asiatic Red ∞ Golden Ball developed at IARI, New Delhi.
Roots round, medium sized, skin red and flesh light yellow.
It is excellent in taste and flavor.
Roots do not develop pithiness if harvesting is delayed.
Pusa Sweti
It was developed at IARI, New Delhi.
Roots are flattish round, white and attractive.
Flesh is white, soft and crisp.
Ready in 40-45 days after sowing.
Punjab Safed
It is an early variety developed at PAU, Ludhiana.
Its roots are white, round, medium sized and mature about in 60 days.

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