This document provides information on the turnip plant. It discusses: 1. The botanical name of turnip is Brassica rapa Linn. It is a member of the Cruciferae family. 2. Turnip is a quick growing root vegetable cultivated for its roots and leaves. Major growing regions include Bihar, Punjab, and Haryana in India. 3. Common varieties include Purple Top White Globe, Pusa Kanchan, and Pusa Swarnima. Seed production involves selecting roots and replanting them to produce seed.

1. Submitted by:
SHARATH M N
Jr. M.Sc(Hort)
Veg. Sci dept

2. Turnip
• BOTANICAL NAME: Brassica rapa Linn
Syn. Brassica campestris var. rapa
• FAMILY : Cruciferae
• CHROMOSOME NO: 2n=20
• ORIGIN : Mediterranean region
• COMMON NAME : Salgam, Shalgam, Shaljam

3. INTRODUCTION
• Turnip is quick growing root vegetable.
• It is a herbaceous biennial for seed
production and an annual for use as a
vegetable.
• Both roots and leaves are edible.
• The young leaves are rich source of
ascorbic acid, iron and vitamin A.
• Turnip produces Napiform types of
roots.

4. • It is grown for its roots as well as
for green leaves.
• Turnip root is rich source of
Vitamin C
• It is grown in temperate, tropical as
well as sub-tropical region of India.
• Commonly grown turnip is of white
color.
• Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal
Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are major
turnip growing states in India.

5. BOTANY
•The leaves and petioles are hairy and
coarse, and yellowish green in colour.
•The leaves are oblong to oval and may
be entire, serrate or even pinnate
depending on cultivar and time of
development: leaves formed early are
less likely to be pinnate.
•The leaves developing on
inflorescence are alternate, oblong or
lanceolate and entire or dentate.

6. INFLORESCENCE
• Inflorescence is a corymb, with
open flowers standing well above
the unopened younger buds.
• Flowers are very small with 4
sepals and 4 petals outer stamens
are shorter with curled filaments.

7. FRUIT AND SEED
• Fruit is siliqua .
• seeds are very small , highly variable in color ( purple black,
brighter red purple etc.).

8. ROOTS
• The upper part of the root
(hypocotyls) and the lower part of the
stem swell by the development of
extensive little lignified secondary
xylem.
• The neck is very short and the pith is
in the form of an obtuse cone.
• The root shape in turnip varies from
extreme long forms to flat forming
types.

9. ROOT
• The most common type of turnip is
mostly white-skinned apart from the
upper 1–6 centimeters (0.39–2.36 in),
which protrude above the ground and
are purple or red or greenish where
the sun has hit.
• This above-ground part develops
from stem tissue, but is fused with
the root.
• The interior flesh is entirely white.

10. • The root is roughly globular, from 5–20 cm
(2.0–7.9 in) in diameter, and lacks side roots.
• Underneath, the taproot (the normal root
below the swollen storage root) is thin and 10
cm (3.9 in) or more in length.
• Turnip roots weigh up to 1 kilogram
although they are usually harvested when
smaller.

11. CLASSES OF TURNIP
White fleshed turnip Yellow fleshed turnip
These are quick maturing types. These are slow maturing types.
These have low dry matter
content (7-8%)
These have high dry matter
content(8-9%)
Storability is comparatively
less.
These turnips stores better than
white fleshed types.
White fleshed turnips may be
white, green, red or bronze
topped.
These varieties are green or
purple topped.
Flowers are bright yellow in
colour
Flowers are buff coloured.

12. WHITE FLESHED VS YELLOW FLESHED
TURNIP

13. POLLINATION
• Turnip is mainly a cross pollinated crop.
• Turnip accessible to bees produced 3 times
as much as seed as isolated from the bees.
• Such seed had better germination and they
produced more vigorous plants.

14. VARIETIES
Based on the morphological characters of
roots and top
1. WHITE FLESHED
a) Purple-topped
• Flat type: Purple Top Milan
• Globe type: Purple Top White Globe
b) Green topped
• Globe type: Green Top White, Green
Globe
• Long type: Cowhorn

15. c) White topped
• Flat type: White Milan, White Flat Dutch
• Globe type: White Stone, Quick Silver
• Half long type: White Egg, White Gem
• Long type: Lily White

16. 2. YELLOW FLESHED
• Purple-topped globe-type: Aberdeen Purple Top
• Bronze or green-top, globe type: Aberdeen Green Top, Amber
Globe
• Yellow-topped, globe type: Yellow Globe, Golden Ball, All
Seasons
3. FOLIAGE CULTIVARS
• Flat Japan, Shogoin, Seven Top

17. VARIETIES
Asiatic/tropical/subtropical
type
European/Temperate
Type
More pungent & better for
pickles, earlier & more heat
tolerant
Sweeter and more
palatable
Pusa Kanchan, Pusa Sweti,
Punjab Safed 4
Purple Top White Globe, Golden
Ball, Snow Ball, Early Milan Red
Top, Pusa Chandrima,
Pusa Swarnima.

18. ASIATIC OR TROPICAL VARIETIES

19. Pusa Kanchan
•Developed at IARI,New Delhi and released in early 60s
• It is selection from the cross between Asiatic Red (tropical type) x
Golden Ball (temperate type)
• Root skin is red and flesh is creamy yellow which possess good
flavour and taste.
• Suitable for sowing from September to mid-October in plains
• Maturity in 55-60 days. Yield 250 q/ha.
• It has shorter leaf top and produces seed in plains
• Roots can be kept longer in the fields without being spongy

20. Pusa Sweti
• It is developed at IARI, New Delhi and
released in 1976.
• Selection from an indigenous germplasm
collection from Punjab.
• Roots pure white, medium in size, round to
flattish round, tender, flesh white.
• Suitable for sowing from August to
September in plains
• Maturity in 40-45 days. Yield 250 q/ha.

21. Punjab Safed
• It is an early variety developed
at PAU, Ludhiana.
• Its roots are white, round,
medium sized.
• Mature in about 60days.

22. L-1
• It is developed at PAU, Ludhiana
• Plant top is medium,leaves are complete with serrated
margins and dark green in colour.
• Roots are round, pure white, smooth, rat-tailed and
crisp with mild flavour.
• It takes 45-60 days to reach marketable maturity.
• Average yield is 260 quintals per hectare

24. Purple Top White Globe:
Introduction and recommended by IARI,New Delhi.
• It is large rooted and heavy yielding variety
• Roots nearly round, large, smooth, skin purplish
red on upper portion which extends above soil
surface, lower portion creamy coloured.
• Most popular variety of temperate group.
• Flesh white, firm and crisp.
• Best for dehydration, matures in 60-65days after
sowing. Average yield 250-300q/ha.

25. Golden Ball
• It was bred at IARI Regional
Station, Katrain, Kullu Valley,
HP.
• It gives globe shaped, smooth,
yellow roots with sweet and
yellow flesh.
• Yield varies between 200-
250q/ha.

26. Snow Ball
Introduction and recommended by
IARI, Regional Station, Katrain.
• It is an Early variety.
• Roots are medium sized, round,
smooth and white.
• Flesh is white, fine grained, and
tender with sweet taste.
• Average yield is around 25-30
t/ha

27. Early Milan Red Top
• It is an extra early maturing variety
• Ready for harvesting within 45
days after sowing.
• Very high yielding variety with
deep flat roots having purplish red
tops and white underneath.
• It has pure white, crisp and mildly
pungent flesh.

28. Pusa Swarnima
Developed at IARI, Regional Station, Katrain
Developed by hybridization and selection by involving Japanese
White(Asiatic)X Golden Ball(temperate type) and released in :
1979
• Recommended areas :Suitable for temperate, sub-tropical and
tropical regions of North India.
• Yield : 35.5 t/ha
• Suitable for planting in June to October in hilly region and
October to December in plain.

29. • Characteristics : Early maturing
variety, medium leaf tops, roots
flattish and round.
• Its outer skin light yellow in
colour.
• It matures in 60-70 days.

30. Pusa Chandrima
• Year of release :1979
• Recommended areas :Suitable for
temperate, sub-tropical and tropical
regions of north India.
• Yield: 30-40 t/ha
• Characteristics: Roots large round to
flattish, white in colour with medium
leaf tops.
• Its outer skin is less deep and flesh
white in colour.

31. Seed Production
METHODS OF SEED PRODUCTION
• Seed to seed
• Root to seed
SEED TO SEED
• The crop is allowed to overwinter in the field and produce
seed in the following spring in their original position.

32. ROOT TO SEED METHOD
• The turnip is usually produced by root to seed method.
• In this method, during autumn the roots, when fully developed,
are uprooted and selection of true to type root is made.
• Underdeveloped ,deformed , diseased and off type roots are
rejected.
• After pruning the taproot and clipping the tops, leaving the
crown intact.
• The selected roots are replanted in prepared soil in such a way
that the whole root is covered under soil, leaving the crown
exposed.

33. Brief cultural practices
Root to seed method(1St season-Raising of stecklings)
Time of sowing
• Last week of August or first week of September.
Preparation of field
• Prepare the field to fine tilth by ploughing , 3 to 4 harrowing ,
followed by levelling.

34. Source of seeds
• Obtain nucleus / breeder/ foundation seed from source which
is approved by a seed certification agency.
Seed rate
• Seed rate is 3 to 4 kg/ha.
• The roots produced on 1 ha are sufficient for transplanting of
2.5 – 3 ha.

35. METHOD OF SOWING
• The seed should be sown on ridges.
• Row to row spacing 45 cm , seed should be sown thinly.
• Keep the ridges moist until germination is completed.
• Thin out plants to a distance of 7-8 cm within the rows when
plants are 10-15 days old.

36. • Apply 100 quintal of Farm Yard Manure during field preparation,
40kg of P at the time of transplanting the roots and 25kg of K
before flowering per hectare.
• Application of 25kg of N in pre-bolting stage is beneficial.
• In the month of November, roots are uprooted, selected top of
roots are clipped (preferably 2/3rd tops and 1⁄2 of the roots) and
are replanted at a distance of 45 x 45cm.
• Light irrigation is done just after replanting of roots.
• Rogue out all off-types and diseased plants.

37. • First roguing is done 20-30days after sowing, second when
roots are lifted and replanted and third during flowering and
pod formation stage.
• Initiation of seed stalks and flowering starts by the end of
April depending upon variety, time of planting, area where
seed production is being done.
• Harvesting is done in May end depending on the altitude of
the seed production site preferably when 60-70 per cent
pods turn yellow brown.
• Delay in harvesting results in shattering of seeds.

38. • Harvesting, threshing and curing operations are like
other cole crops.
• Thresh and winnow seeds and dry in sun and store in
cloth bags under cool, dry and well- ventilated place.
• Turnip seeds remain viable for about 3-4 years under
good storage conditions.

39. Seed Yield:
• 600-800kg/ha depending upon environmental factors and the
varieties used.

40. SEED CERTIFICATION STANDARDS
• A. Fields Standards
• a. General requirements
• Isolation
Contaminants Minimum
Foundation
Distance
Certified
Fields of the other varieties 1600 1000
Fields of the same variety not
conforming to varietal purity
1600 1000

41. b. Specific Requirements
Factor Maximum permitted(per
cent)
Foundation Certified
Off-type 0.10 0.20
Diseased plants 0.1 0.50

42. B. Seed Standards
Factors Standards for Each class
Foundation Certified
Pure seed (minimum) % 98.0 98.0
Inert matter (maximum) % 2.0 2.0
Other crop seeds (maximum)
Number/kg
0.05 0.10
Total weed seeds (maximum) Number/
kg
0.10 0.20
Objectionable weed seeds (maximum)
Number/ kg
---- ---
Germination (minimum) % 70 70
Moisture (maximum) % 6.0 8.0

43. DISEASES
Powdery Mildew:Erysiphe cruciferarum
Symptoms:
• It includes development of a white
mycelia on the upper leaf surface.
• Younger and inner leaves are spotted
first with weft like mats of mycelium
that soon coalesce forming larger
areas and finally covering the entire
leaf as it matured.

44. Management
• Spray Inorganic Sulphur 0.25% or Dinocap 0.05%.
• Use varieties with resistance or tolerance to this
disease.
• Remove plant debris immediately after harvest

45. DAMPING OFF
Pythium sp., Rhizoctonia sp., Fusarium sp.,
Symptoms
• It is a common disease in nursery bed where the rotting start
in the collar region of the seedlings.
• Black and reddish brown lesion on the collar region.
• Finally infected seedling are toppled on the ground surface.

46. • The disease is promoted by high humidity and high
temperature and the damage in the seed bed, in general, is
considerable.

47. Management
• In nursery it may be controlled with drenching the bed
with 0.2% solution of Captan 50WP.
• The infection may also reduced if the seeds are treated
with Captan @ 2.5g/kg of seeds.
• Crop rotation with cereals is also recommended.
• Seed treatment with Trichoderma viride 4g/kg.

48. DOWNY MILDEW Peronospora parasitica
Symptoms
• It may attack young plants and also at the seed production
stage as being commonly observed in northern India in recent
years, when high humidity prevails during seed production
stage.
• Purplish leaf spots or yellow brown spots on the upper surface
of the leaf appear, while fluffy downy fungus growth is found
on the lower surface

49. • The fungus when attacks the young seedlings,
discoloration occurs and in severe cases the whole
plant perishes.
• Infected plants develop a gray mold on the lower leaf
surface.
• The upper leaf surface of infected plants first turns
yellow and then may turn brown or necrotic.

50. • Leaves wither and die.
• Symptoms differ from powdery mildew in that the downy
mildew fungus grows only on the lower surface of the leaf.
• Development of the disease is favored by moist conditions.

52. Management
• Use varieties with resistance or tolerance to this disease.
• Remove plant debris immediately after harvest.
• Use wide plant spacing to promote drying of leaves.
• Seed treatment with Metalaxyl (Apron 6g/kg of seed)
• Avoid wetting the leaves when watering.
• Chlorothalonil will give good control and Copper fungicides
will give fair control.
• Foliar spraying with Metalaxyl (Ridomil) 0.4%.

53. Soft Rot: Erwinia carotovora
• Affected roots become soft
from inside while outer skin
remains hard and firm.
CONTROL MEASURES:
• Uproot affected plants along
with roots and destroy.

54. BLACK LEG: Phoma lingam
Symptoms
• It occurs in moist regions, specially in
areas with rainfall during the growing
period. The fungus is carried by the
seed and hence it may occur from the
early stage.
• Stem of the affected plant when split
vertically, shows severe black
discoloration of sap stream.
• Whole root system decays from
bottom upwards.
• Frequently, the affected plants fall
over in the field.

55. Management
• Seed infection can be prevented by spraying the seed plants
with copper oxychloride or with an organo mercuric
compound.
• Seed treatment with Captan or Thiram 4g/kg of seed, followed
by seed treatment with Trichoderma viride 4g/kg.

56. Turnip Yellow Mosaic Virus
• The symptoms of TuMV are mottling in broad, yellow,
circular, and irregular areas.
• The oldest leaves often become bright yellow all over. The
lamina often becomes necrotic.
• Unlike BWYV, veins do not become green, and leaves do not
become brittle.
• Affected plants do not grow properly, root development slows
down and the quality deteriorates.
• The disease is transmitted by flea beetle.

57. Symptoms

58. CONTROL MEASURES:
• Control of Turnip mosaic virus is difficult.
• The virus has a wide host range, insecticides do not prevent its
spread, and there are several strains.
• Once the plants are infected with Turnip mosaic virus and show
symptoms there is no way to make them healthy again, so it is
important to prevent infection.
• Remove affected plants, control flea beetle population and remove
cabbage plants as they serve as collateral host of mosaic virus.
• Spray Malathion or Cypermetrin @ 2-3ml/l of water.

59. PESTS
FLEA BEETLE: (Phyllotreta sp.)
• They transmit Turnip Yellow Mosaic Virus.
• The larva is very active and feeds on the tender roots of the
host plant.

60. Symptoms of damage
• The adults mostly feed on the
leaves by making in-numerable
round holes in the host plant.
• The stem, flower and even pods
may also be attacked.
• Old eaten away leaves dry up,
while young leaves rendered
unfit for consumption.

61. Management
• Field sanitation.
• Deep ploughing.
• Removal of alternate host.
• Encouraging activity of predators like Lacewing
Larvae And Big Eyed Bug.
• Spray Malathion or Cypermetrin @ 2-3ml/l of water.

62. MUSTARD SAW FLY: Athalia lugens
• The mustard saw fly is widely
distributed in Indian subcontinent.
• It feeds on Mustard Rapeseed,
Cabbage, Knolkhol,Cauliflower,
Turnip etc.
• They remain hidden during the day
time and, when disturbed, fall to the
ground and feign death.
• Damage is done by the larva.

63. Symptoms of damage
• Grubs alone are destructive.
• They bite holes into leaves and
skeletonize leaves completely.
• Sometimes, even the epidermis of shoot
is eaten up.
• Older plants, when attacked, don’t bear
seed.

64. Management
• Provide irrigation during seedling stage.
• Collection and destruction of larva at evening and morning.
• Field sanitation.
• Deep ploughing.
• Use biopesticide like Margosom, Annosom.
• Spray 1 litre of Malathion 50EC in 150-200 litres of water.

65. APHID: Brevicoryne brassicae
• It is polyphagous in nature.
• It commonly occurs in dense colonies on tender parts of the
plant.

66. Symptoms of damage
• Both adults and nymphs suck cell sap from leaf, stem, pod.
• Due to very high population of pest, the vitality of plants is
greatly reduced.
• Yellowing of the leaves.
• Crinkling and cupping.
• Presence of white cast skin at the base of the plant.

67. Management
• Install yellow sticky trap @12 no/ha to monitor winged adult.
• Spray neem oil 3 % with 0.5 ml Teepol/lit.
• Spray any one of the following insecticide:
• Chemical spray of Azadirachtin 0.03% WSP (300 ppm) @ 5.0 g/lit
or Dimethoate 30 % EC @ 6.0 ml/10 lit or Malathion 50 % EC1.5
ml/lit or Phosalone 35 % EC @1.5 ml/lit. or Quinalphos 25 %
EC @1.0 ml/lit.

68. DIAMOND BACK MOTH
Plutella xylostella
Host range:
• It is a serious pest of cauliflower
and cabbage, but also feeds on
many other cruciferous crops like
turnip

69. Symptoms of damage:
• Damage is caused by the
caterpillars.
• Young caterpillars cause small
yellow mines on leaves.
• Scrapping of epidermal leaf tissues
producing typical whitish patches
on leaves.
• Full-grown larvae bite holes in the
leaves and feeds on curd.

70. Management
• Remove and destroy all debris and stubbles after harvest of crop
• Grow mustard as trap crop at 25:1 ratio (cabbage: mustard) to
attract DBM for oviposition at least 10 days ahead of planting
of main crop.
• Spray mustard crop with Dichlorvos 76 WSC 0.076% to avoid
dispersal of the larvae.
• Pheromone traps @12/ha.
• Crop rotation with cucurbits, beans, peas, tomato and melon

71. Submitted by:
SHARATH M N
Jr. M.Sc(Hort)
Veg. Sci dept