Climate

• Adopted to cool or moderate climate
• Asian cultivar have greater temperature adaptation than European cultivar
• Cool to moderate, tolerate frost &mild freezing.
• Below 10 o C enhance bolting, air temp 10-15 oC, soil temp 18-23 oC is ideal for better growth, flavor, texture and size of roots.
• Long day with high temperature may induce bolting without proper development of root.
• At high temperature root becomes tough and pungent before its edible stage while at low temperature roots are sweet, soft with proper shape and size
• Turnip is more tolerant to frost than Radish and Carrot.

Soil

• Light, friable, rich in humus, well drained, sandy loam to clay loam
• For early crop : sandy or sandy loam soil
• For summer crop : cool and moist soil
• Heavy soil produce rough, misshapen roots with small roots , so it avoided for commercial radish production
• Soil pH 6.5-7.5

Field preparation

• 3-4 ploughing followed by repeated harrowing and leveling is done.
• The basal dose of manure (FYM/Compost) and fertilizer are applied at the time of final land preparation
• Ridge and furrow are made during rainy season
• But during winter/normal season cultivation, flat bed is prepared.
• Seed sowing depth = 1-1.5 c m
• If moisture is lacking in the soil, irrigate lightly immediately after sowing. Thinning of plants is necessary for maintaining for proper spacing

Cultivation practices

• SPACING: Row to row =30 cm

                  Plant to plant=20-30cm

• SEED RATE: 3-4kg per hectare

Manure and fertilizer application

• Half amount of nitrogen and full amount of FYM/Compost, P2O5 and K2O should be applied as basal dose at time of seed sowing and out of remaining two splits of nitrogen is applied, first half splits of N2, is side dressed after one months of seed sowing and remaining half splits of N2 is side dressed at root initiation stage,
• Urea @ 1-2% can be sprayed as foliar application in case of N2 deficiency

Intercultural practices

• 2-3 weeding, two shallow hoeing, two earthing up is done during crop growth stage
• Thinning is done
• First earthing up at early stage of growth and second hoeing and earthing up at root growth stage
• Moisture during both growth and root development stage should be adequate for normal growth and proper development of root
• Late crop and light soil need frequent irrigation.
• Enough moisture should be present in soil during root development stage
• 5-7days interval during summer
• Excess water adversely affects the root development and therefor it should be drained out immediately

Harvesting and Yield

• Turnip are harvested when they are tender and attain the marketable size
• The size ranges from 5-10 cm in diameter
• Root becomes fibrous if they are not harvested at marketable stage
• The roots are pulled out along with tops and washed.
• A light irrigation before harvesting facilitates the lifting of roots.

Yield

Yields

• Average yield is 10-15 ton/ha however it depends on varieties, soil types, climatic condition, management practices and season of cultivation

 Storage

• Edible roots can be stored under room temperature for 3 – 4 days. It can be stored for 3-4 months in cold storage at 0 o C – 4 o C and 93 – 98 % R.H.