Roots. Meet white carrots! An unusual root vegetable with beneficial properties. Which vegetables are classified as root vegetables?
Arracacha, loba, Peruvian maca, oat root. In our article we will look at the most common and consumed vegetables.
(tuberous nightshade) is a species of perennial tuberous root crop that belongs to the genus Nightshade family Solanaceae. The Russian word “potato” has German roots. In German it sounds like Kartoffel. But this is not the primary name, since it was formed in Italian as tartufo, tartufolo.
The potato has the form of a bush, the height of which is 1 m, with several stems (from 4 to 8). The tuber variety determines their number. The stems of the root crop are characterized by ribbing and immersion. Part of the potato has lateral shoots (stolons). Modified thickenings grow to the tips of the stolons, which are a plant product suitable for nutrition.
This is a bud that has grown. It consists of starch cells on the inside and cork tissue on the outside. On the surface of the tuber there are axillary buds (eyes). New shoots grow from them. Each tuber has 8 eyes, each containing buds. The bud that sprouted first is called the main bud, the rest are dormant. Dormant buds may wake up and form weak shoots. In contrast, the main bud produces strong shoots. 
The surface of the tuber is covered with lentils. These organs are designed to circulate air and water in the potato.
The shape of the root crop varies: round, elongated, oval. Potato skin can be white, pink, or purple. The pulp most often has a white, cream or yellow color.
The root system is fibrous, located 20–40 cm below the ground surface. The peak of root development occurs during budding. When the tubers ripen, the root dies. 
Potato leaves come in different shapes: odd-pinnate, dissected. The variety determines the color of the leaves. It is known that there are light green, green, and dark green foliage.
Potatoes improve intestinal function, as they remove cholesterol thanks to fiber and pectins. It also contains vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, H, K, PP. The value of the product is that it contains potassium, magnesium, sodium, iron, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese. Due to their high calorie content (76 kcal per 100 g), potatoes are not suitable for obese people. 
Carrot is the name two-year-old in which in the first year a rosette of leaves, a root crop, is formed, and by the second year - a bush with seeds. Distributed in Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, America.
The edible part of carrots comes in different weights (30–200g). and wind take part in the pollination of this plant.
The root vegetable has three parts: root, neck and head. Above the head are leaves that form a rosette and buds in it. There are no roots or leaves around the neck. Carrots can be ovoid or cone-shaped. 
Flowers form an umbrella. Carrots have petiolate, pinnate leaves. The seeds are elongated, oval in shape. There are small spikes on their surface. 1000 seeds weigh from 1–2.8 g.
Did you know? From Egyptian sources it is known that carrots were originally purple. Orange varieties first appeared in Holland. Nowadays, there are carrots in orange, black, green, purple, and white.
Carrot carotene helps the retina function normally. Therefore, everyone who reads a lot, deals with small objects, and who must constantly be attentive should eat carrots. In addition, beta-carotene, as an antioxidant, prolongs the youth of the body. If you already have some problems with your vision, then carrots can also help. 
Calorie content of carrots- 32 Kcal per 100 g. Protein 1.3 g, fat 0.1 g, carbohydrates 6.9 g. Carrots also contain 88 g of water, monosaccharides, disaccharides, starch, pectin, organic acids, ash. Carrots consist of vitamins A, B, PP, C, E and K, minerals: iodine, calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, iron, copper, chromium. They have a positive effect on the skin and mucous membranes. Carrots also contain essential oils. They are used to make liquor, cosmetics, and perfumes.
Celery is a plant from family Umbrella (Apiaceae). Celery is the most popular type. The plant, which has a thickened root, takes root best in damp areas near swamps and salt marshes. The average height is 1 m, the leaves are pinnate, located on a grooved branched stem. The small green flowers are united into complex inflorescences with an umbrella. The Plant List says there are 17 
All segments of celery are suitable for food use, but the stem is used more often. The petioles have a green color, a pungent aroma, and an unusual taste. The calorie content of the product is 12 Kcal per 100 g. Protein 0.9 g, fat 0.1 g, carbohydrates 2.1 g. 100 g of peeled tuber consists of 320 mg of potassium, 80 mg of phosphorus, 68 mg of calcium, 9 mg of magnesium, 0.15 mg manganese, 0.31 mg zinc, 0.53 mg iron.
Iron, magnesium and calcium help increase hemoglobin levels, strengthen the immune system, and relieve swelling. Celery prevents infectious diseases, is a prophylactic against atherosclerosis, has a calming effect on the nervous system, cures hypertension, and improves intestinal function.
Important! If a person has kidney stones, they should not eat celery, as it can cause the stones to move throughout the body. If you have thrombophlebitis and varicose veins, you should not eat celery. This plant should not be consumed if the woman is in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.
Refers to the Ginger family. There are seven types of this product known.
Ginger first grew in South Asia. Nowadays, it is grown in China, India, Indonesia, Australia, West Africa, Jamaica, and Barbados.
Ginger rhizome adventitious. A fibrous system is formed from the roots. The roots have a primary structure, their outer tissue is corky; the central cylinder consists of a ring of tufts that are divided into fibers. Stems are erect, rounded, not pubescent. There are internodes larger than 1 cm in size. The leaves of the plant are alternate, simple, entire, and pointed. 
The flowers are located on peduncles and are part of spike-shaped inflorescences. The tricuspid capsule is considered a fruit.
The ginger rhizome is the edible part of the plant. It has the shape of round pieces located in the same plane.
Calorie content of ginger- 80 Kcal. Protein 1.8 g, fat 0.8 g, carbohydrates 15.8 g. The rhizome contains essential oil (1–3%), which contains 1.5% gingerol, resin, starch, sugar, fat. Ginger also contains vitamins C, B1, B2 and amino acids. 
Ginger stimulates the gastrointestinal tract, treats flatulence, improves appetite, memory, helps treat sciatica, bruises, coughs, colds, and cleanses the body of toxic substances. It is a “hot spice” that improves food digestion and blood flow.
Rutabaga is a biennial plant that functions as food for humans and food for species of the genus Brassica. family Brassicas. Considered a combination with turnips. The varieties “Krasnoselskaya” and “Swedish” are recognized as the most productive. It is similar in shape to a beet, but its color is lilac and white. The pulp is slightly bitter and tastes like turnips. Distributed in Sweden, Russia, Scandinavia, Germany, Finland. 
Did you know? In some Russian cities and villages, rutabaga is called bruchka, bukhva, bushma, galanka, gruhva, jaundice, zemlyubha, kalega, kaliva, kaliga, kalika, German or Swedish turnip. It is mistakenly called rutabaga, but in fact it is a completely different plant.
Rutabaga stems are straight, tall, and leafy. The lower leaves are lyre-like, sparse, and sometimes bare. The plant is bluish in color.
The inflorescence is a brush. Petals are golden in color. The fruit has the shape of a long multi-seeded pod 5–10 cm in length, slightly tuberous, has a peduncle measuring 1–3 cm, a conical nose (1–2 cm), has no seeds, rarely with one or two seeds. The seeds are spherical, dark brown in color, with small cells with a diameter of 1.8 mm. 1000 seeds weigh approximately 2.50–3.80 g. 
The root crop can be round, oval, or cylindrical. The color of the pulp and rind depends on the variety.
Plant calorie content is 37.5 Kcal per 100 g, carbohydrates - 7.3 g, fats - 0.16 g, nitrogenous substances - 1.1 g, proteins -1.2 g. In addition, rutabaga contains fiber, starch, pectins, vitamins B1, B2, P, C, carotene, nicotinic acid, mineral salts (potassium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron, calcium). Rutabagas are richer in minerals than turnips.
This product is recommended for use as a diuretic, to thin sputum, and for constipation. Rutabaga juice treats vitamin deficiencies and can effectively heal wounds. The product is used for dietary nutrition, gastritis, colic. Only acute intestinal diseases can be a contraindication. 
Did you know? Johann Wolfgang von Goethe considered rutabaga his favorite vegetable.
Herbal perennial of the genus Sunflower from the Astrov family. The identical name is “earthen pear”, “Jerusalem artichoke”, “bulba”, “bulva”, “barabola”. The name has Brazilian roots, because it comes from the name of the Indian tribe from Brazil - “Tupinamba”. Habitat - Brazil, North America, Great Britain, France, Ukraine, Russia, Australia, Japan. Everyone can choose the one that suits them from the 300 existing varieties.
The plant has strong and deep roots. The edible tubers are located on the surface of underground shoots, taste like cabbage poker or turnips, and are colored white, yellow, purple or red. The stem is erect, about 40 cm high. 
Leaves in the form of drooping petioles. Those that are lower have an ovoid or heart-shaped shape, the upper ones are elongated, ovoid. Flowers are included in baskets (diameter 2–10 cm). Flowering time is from August to October. The fruits are achenes.
The chemical composition of the tubers resembles potatoes. The calorie content of Jerusalem artichoke is 61 Kcal per 100 g, contains 2.1 g of protein, 0.1 g of fat, 12.8 g of fat. The root vegetable also contains mineral salts, inulin (soluble polysaccharides) (16–18%), fructose, trace elements, nitrogenous substances (2–4%). The product is rich in vitamins B1, C, carotene. The percentage of sugar in the tuber increases over time as nutrients move from the stem and leaves. 
Jerusalem artichoke is used for gout, anemia, and obesity. A decoction of the root vegetable lowers blood pressure and hemoglobin levels. Suitable for residents of megacities where there is high gas pollution, smog, waste emissions into the air, soil, and water. Jerusalem artichoke neutralizes the consequences of such an environmental situation. It also removes heavy metals, radionuclides, and toxic substances from the body. The plant received this antitoxic property due to the interaction of inulin and fiber, which are components of Jerusalem artichoke. This root vegetable has more “sugar” in its composition than sugar cane or sugarcane.
May cause flatulence and excessive gas formation.
Did you know? Japan, Holland and the USA produce coffee from Jerusalem artichoke.
Radish - annual or genus Radish Brassica family. The name is of Latin origin: radix - root. The homeland of radishes is the Middle East, but they are also grown in European countries and the USA. The Netherlands ranks first in terms of radish consumption. 
The calorie content of radishes is 14 Kcal per 100 g, contains proteins - 1.1 g, fats - 0.1 g, carbohydrates - 2.0 g, as well as 94 g of water, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, fluorine, mineral salts, riboflavin, thiamine , nicotinic acid, vitamins B1, B2, B3, C, PP.
Radish roots are 2–8 cm in diameter, round, oval, oblong. The root crop is covered with pink or red “skin.” The cause of the bitter aroma of the root vegetable is mustard oil. 
Radishes form a small rosette of divided leaves. Pink flowers form inflorescences. The plant begins to bloom within 60 days after sowing the seeds, flowering lasts a month.
Did you know? They tried to grow radishes on a space station. It was chosen because it is characterized by a short growing season (from 30 to 45 days) and nutritious roots and leaves. Therefore, this product is convenient to produce even in space conditions.
Parsnip is a biennial and perennial from family Umbelliferae. Distributed in lowland and mountain meadows, the plant is sometimes called barkweed, field borscht, popovnik, trestles, trunk, white root. The naming was borrowed from German, and the primary Latin name was pastināca (from pastināre - to dig). Grows in Europe and Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Balkans. 
Did you know? It has been established that parsnip seeds already existed during the Neolithic era in modern-day Switzerland. Parsnips were a staple food until potatoes were brought to Europe.
During the first year of growth, a large white root crop and a rosette grows, which includes from 3 to 7 dissected leaves, the height of which is 60–70 cm. A branched peduncle appears in the second year of development, flowers and seeds appear on it.
The acceptable temperature for the plant is from 15 to 18 °C. Parsnip leaves emit volatile compounds at temperatures above 20°C. They can severely burn human skin. 
The calorie content of parsnips is 47 kcal, 1.4 g protein, 0.5 g fat, 9.2 g carbohydrates. In addition, parsnips contain many vitamins: C, B1, B2, B6, PP, as well as carotene, essential oils, furocoumarins, enzymes, pectin, and fiber.
Bulbous, once already
helped
A root vegetable is a part of a plant that stores nutrients, most often associated with the root system, hence the first part of the name. They are not fruits; the second part of the name is biologically incorrect, but traditional. In agriculture, root crops are called both plants specially grown for the sake of powerful, juicy underground organs, and those parts that are actually harvested and used as food and animal feed. The formation of root crops involves the main shoot (basal part), the hypocotyl and the main root of the plant.
The formation of root crops is typical for biennial plants from the following families:
Brassicas (turnips, radishes, rutabaga, turnips)
Umbelliferae (carrots, parsley, celery, parsnips)
Asteraceae (chicory, scorzonera)
Root crops are formed much less frequently:
in annuals (for example, radishes)
in perennials (for example, katran from the Brassica family)
In the first year of life, most root vegetables develop a rosette of leaves and a “root crop.” Its upper part - the “head” - carries a rosette of leaves and is formed by a shortened stem. Underneath it there is a “neck”, which is a subcotyl, or hypocotyl, a section of the seedling stem between the cotyledons and the main root (for example, in carrots) or only its upper part (for example, in beets, turnips, rutabaga).
The root itself - usually the main root of the seedling - branches, forming lateral roots. The mass of the “root vegetable” consists of an overgrown parenchyma of secondary xylem (brassica family) or secondary phloem (umbrella family) and sometimes bark (carrots). In beets, a growth ring of xylem and phloem is formed by several rings of cambium, and nutrients are stored in the parenchyma. In the 2nd year of life, a flowering and fruiting stem develops from the buds located in the axils of the rosette leaves. After fertilization and seed maturation, the plant dies.
Root crops are demanding of moisture. Good yields are obtained on fertile, loose soils, especially with artificial irrigation. Root vegetables accumulate sugar (sugar beets, rutabaga), inulin (chicory), starch (katran), mineral salts, vitamins (carrots, turnips, radishes).
They are used for food in boiled, stewed and raw form, they are dried and canned. Also, root vegetables are an important component of succulent feed for farm animals.
Fodder root crops.
National economic significance.
Forage root crops grown in our country include carrots, beets, rutabaga and turnips. They provide a lot of juicy mass and promote better absorption of roughage and concentrated feed.
Carrots rank first in nutritional value among other root vegetables. It contains mineral salts, carotid vitamins C, B 1, B 2, PP, the absence or deficiency of which disrupts metabolism, weakens the body, and reduces its resistance to disease.
1 kg of carrots contains 0.14 feed. units and 7 g of digestible protein, up to 256 mg of carotene - provitamin A. In terms of carotene content, carrots are superior to all other foods. Feeding pigs with feed carrots and sugar beets is cheaper and more economical than other feeds. Carrots are especially necessary for young cattle and sheep, as well as chickens, hens, ducks, piglets and suckling sows.
The main place in the crops of fodder root crops is occupied by carrots and beets.
Fodder beet is more demanding of heat and soil fertility; it is cultivated in the southern part of the Non-Chernozem zone. Fodder carrots are the least moisture-loving plant; they produce high yields in areas of insufficient moisture. It is cultivated in the central, southern and other zones of the country. Turnips and rutabaga are cultivated mainly in the Non-Black Earth zone.
Productivity of fodder root crops.
Depending on the variety and agricultural technology, the yield of fodder root crops varies greatly. Many farms receive feed carrots at 250-400 c per 1 ha, which is 3500-5600 feed. units Fodder beets produce 300-600 quintals of root crops per 1 ha, rutabaga and turnips - from 200 to 500 quintals per 1 ha. 900--1200 centners of roots and 150--250 centners of tops.
Morphological features of fodder root crops.
Fodder carrots (Daucus carota L.) belong to the celery family (Apiaceae). Its root crops, depending on the variety, have different shapes - from conical to elongated cylindrical. The lateral roots are located on the thickened part of the root in four rows. The root crop thickens as a result of the activity of the cambium. Carrots are characterized by significant development of secondary bast with maximum deposition of nutrients in it. Secondary wood (inside the root) is poorly developed. Feeding carrots bring the cotyledons to the surface. The leaves are bi- and triple-pinnately dissected in shape (into narrow lobes). In the first year of life, up to 20 leaves develop on one plant, forming a basal rosette.
The inflorescence is a complex umbrella. The flowers are of a quintuple type, small, often bisexual. The flowering of the umbrella lasts 11 --- 15 days. Pollination is cross, the stamens mature before the pistils. The seeds are ribbed, covered with long spines (hooks).
Fodder beet (Beta vulgaris L.) is a biennial plant from the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae).
Root crops of fodder beets differ in shape, color and the ratio of the head, neck and root itself. In varieties with a strongly developed root itself and a poorly developed neck, most of the root crop is located in the soil. In varieties with a strongly developed neck and weak development of the root itself, most of the root crop protrudes above the ground. The root itself has two longitudinal rows of thin root branches on opposite sides.
The root thickens due to the activity of the cambium (secondary educational tissue). A cross section of a root crop shows several cambial rings and the same number of rings of vascular bundles.
The beet leaves of the first year of life are large and whole; with long well-developed petioles, form a basal rosette. Flowering shoots of beets in the second year of life bear short-petioled leaves of smaller sizes. The flowers are bisexual, quintuple, with a greenish perianth, forming an inflorescence - a raceme. Cross pollination (by wind). The fruits are nuts, growing together to form infructescences (glomeruli). The weight of 1000 fruits varies (depending on the variety) from 16 to 45 g.
Rutabaga (Brassica napusrapifera) and turnip (Brassica rapa rapifera) are plants from the cabbage family (Brassicaceae). Rutabaga root vegetables are often round, with dense pulp. There are many root branches on the lower, underground part of the root crop.
Turnip roots can be of various shapes (round, conical, cylindrical) and colors (yellow, white, purple aboveground and white underground).
The lateral roots are located only on the lower, most narrowed part of the root. In the root, secondary woody parenchyma and medullary rays with a maximum supply of nutrients are highly developed. The pulp of the root vegetable is loose.
Shoots of rutabaga and turnip bring to the surface wide cotyledonous leaves with a characteristic notch at the end.
The leaves of rutabaga are juicy, unlike turnip leaves, they are covered with a bluish coating, without pubescence. The leaves of rutabaga and turnip have a lyre-shaped dissected shape. The inflorescence is a simple raceme. The flowers are yellow, having a structure characteristic of cruciferous plants (quadruple type with six stamens and a single pistil). The fruit is a two-locular, multi-seeded, dry pod that opens. The seeds are small, spherical, dark in color.
Biological features.
All fodder root crops are biennial plants. Carrots tolerate spring and autumn frosts well and produce high yields in areas of both temperate and hot climates. Carrots tolerate drought well in the first half of summer, which makes this crop especially valuable for the southern and southeastern regions of the Chernozem zone. Due to heavy rainfall at the end of summer, carrot roots crack, which reduces their shelf life. The growing season of carrots is 90-150 days.
Fodder beet is moderately demanding of heat. Its seeds begin to germinate at 4--5°C, but they germinate especially well at 10--12°C. Seedlings are damaged by frosts of 3--4°C. Good beet yields are obtained in areas with an average annual rainfall of at least 400 mm. The growing season of fodder beet is 125-150 days.
Rutabaga is resistant to low temperatures in spring and fall. In dry and hot summers it is severely damaged by pests. The growing season of rutabaga is 130 days; in the Far North it can only be grown from seedlings.
Turnip seeds germinate at temperatures of 2--3°C, and seedlings can withstand temperatures as low as -5°C. The growing season of turnip is 70-110 days.
High yields of root crops are obtained on fertile soils. Carrots are the least demanding of soil fertility. Large yields can be obtained even on sandy soils. It succeeds in slightly alkaline soils, but cannot tolerate acidic and waterlogged soils. Carrots grow well on floodplain lands, as well as on sufficiently fertilized, non-waterlogged peatlands.
Beets are more demanding on soil fertility than carrots, rutabaga and turnips. It works better on chernozem and floodplain soils. Poor sandy, heavy clay and cold swamp soils are unsuitable for beets.
The best soil for rutabaga is loamy, with sufficient humus content. It produces good harvests on clay soils, drained swamps and peat bogs. The highest turnip yields are obtained on loamy and sandy loam soils rich in humus. It easily tolerates slightly acidic soils, but alkaline and calcareous soils are unsuitable for it. The best soils for cultivating turnips are drained swamps and peat bogs. root crop yield carrots
Place in crop rotation and tillage.
The best predecessors of root crops are winter and leguminous crops. With high agricultural technology, root crops give good yields after potatoes and other crops. The root crops themselves are valuable precursors for leguminous crops. Tilling the soil for them is similar to cultivating the soil for sugar beets.
Fertilizer.
Fodder root crops carry a lot of nutrients from the soil with the harvest. With a lack of nitrogen, root crops produce low yields. Potassium increases the percentage of dry matter, mainly sugars, and prevents the reproduction of beet nematode. Phosphorus fertilizers promote better ripening of root crops. Phosphorus is consumed evenly throughout the summer, in smaller quantities than nitrogen and potassium. Calcium is necessary for the formation of carbohydrates and their movement from leaves to roots, for the neutralization of organic acids in leaves, for the formation of chlorophyll and cell nuclei. Without lime, root crops are damaged by fungal and bacterial diseases and dramatically reduce yield. Root vegetables also need sodium, magnesium, sulfur and iron.
Root crops are especially responsive to organic fertilizers. In the Non-Chernozem zone, up to 30-40 tons of manure and compost are applied, and in the Chernozem zone - up to 20-30 tons per 1 hectare. Stacked peat is fertilized with feces or slurry. After 8-10 months, well-decomposed peat is applied under root crops in the fall.
Furnace ash can be used in the spring before harrowing at a dose of 5-10 c per 1 ha. It is advisable to use green fertilizer (lupine and seradella crops) on sandy soils fertilized with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
From mineral fertilizers, 30-75 kg N, 45-80 kg P2Ob and 40-120 kg K2O are applied per 1 ha. The application of lime on acidic soils provides an increase in the yield of root crops by 80-100 centners per 1 ha. On swampy, peaty and dark-colored soils, copper and boron fertilizers should be applied in small doses.
To obtain high yields of fodder root crops, it is advisable to fertilize with slurry (4--5 tons per 1 ha), bird droppings (4--5 quintals per 1 ha), feces and ash (6--8 quintals per 1 ha). With two feedings, the first is carried out after breaking through or checking, the second - before closing the tops.
Preparing seeds for sowing and sowing.
2-3 weeks before sowing, the spines of carrot seeds are removed using special graters. In the chernozem zone, we can recommend soaking the seeds of beets and carrots, followed by drying the slightly sprouted seeds. Before sowing, beet seeds must be sorted into fractions. Balls smaller than 3 mm should not be used, as they give a low yield. Turnip and rutabaga seeds cannot be soaked, as this will cause them to split into two parts.
The timing of sowing fodder root crops should be planned in such a way that by the time of harvesting the roots have reached normal sizes for the given variety and have matured, which will ensure good shelf life in winter. It is better to sow them at the same time as early grain crops.
Turnips should be sown in late May - early June, since with early sowing its seedlings are severely damaged by cruciferous flea beetles, and the roots are poorly preserved in winter. Earlier sowing of turnips is possible only if root crops are fed in August. In the southern and southeastern regions, fodder root crops are sown in the first half of April, in the middle zone - at the end of April or early May.
Rutabagas need to be sown earlier: they are not afraid of spring frosts. When sown late, rutabaga produces small yields and is heavily damaged by cruciferous flea beetles.
The experience of farms shows that the main methods of cultivating root crops should be wide-row and rectangular-cluster.
Fodder root crops are sown using beet combination seeders with row spacing of 45 cm. Rectangular-cluster placement of plants is subsequently achieved by transverse bouquets using cultivators with razor tines. When increasing row spacing to 60 cm and when sowing carrots with two-line tapes (with distances between tapes of 55-60 cm and between rows of 12-15 cm), vegetable and grain seeders are used.
On light soils in areas of insufficient moisture, winter sowing of carrots is used. It is sown in such a way that the seeds do not have time to germinate before winter.
With the wide-row method of sowing root crops in the non-chernozem zone, the following sowing rates are accepted: carrots - 4-6 kg, fodder beets - 14-16 kg, rutabaga - 3-4 kg, turnips - 2-3 kg per 1 ha.
Carrots are often sown in a wide-row, single-row or strip method (45 cm), as well as in a wide-field, but according to a 10x40 or 20x40 cm pattern. Rutabaga is sown in a wide-row (45 or 60-70 cm), and in the north using a SKN-6 transplanter. The sowing rate of fodder root crops in the Black Earth Zone is increased by 35-40%, since some seeds do not germinate in dry years. The sowing rate for carrots during winter sowing increases by 25-30%.
Depending on the mechanical composition and soil moisture, root crop seeds are planted to the following depth: beets - 2-4 cm, rutabaga - 1-2.5, carrots and turnips - 1.5-2 cm. For uniform When planting seeds on loose soils, it is advisable to roll the field before sowing.
Caring for crops of fodder root crops.
One of the decisive conditions for obtaining high yields of fodder root crops is timely thinning of plants (transverse bouquets, sorting of bouquets), loosening of rows and control of pests, diseases and weeds.
3-4 days before emergence and when the first true leaves appear, harrowing with net or other harrows across the rows is effective.
Shoots of beets, rutabaga, and turnips are often damaged by cruciferous flea beetles. To destroy these pests, seedlings are pollinated with 12% hexachlorane dust at a dose of 10-15 kg per 1 ha. If necessary, pollination is repeated.
Good results in weed control are obtained by spraying with propazine (3-6 kg) and igesagard (2-5 kg per 1 ha).
The most important job in caring for root crops is cutting, or thinning. In unclogged areas, transverse bunching can be replaced by harrowing (third) at an angle to the direction of the rows. When bouquets, the width of the cutout is 26--34 cm, the length of the bouquet is 11--19 cm. The number of plants in the bouquet is left so that for 1 linear. m accounted for 10-12 carrot plants, 4-5 beet plants, 3-4 rutabaga plants, 5-6 turnip plants.
Delay in breaking through leads to “groaning” of the root crops: the leaf petioles become greatly elongated, the leaf blade becomes narrow and light-colored, and the neck and head of the root crop lengthen.
As soon as the rows are designated, the row spacing is cultivated as weeds appear and the soil is compacted with tractor cultivators 2-3 times during the summer.
Stubble and subsowing crops. In areas with a long and wet autumn, fodder and root crops can be cultivated as stubble and subsowing crops.
Carrots are used as an undersowing crop, and turnips are used as a stubble crop. Carrots are sown in the spring, after harrowing winter crops, with a row seeder across the rows of crops. With stubble crops, the field after early harvested plants is plowed, harrowed, and then turnips are sown. Fields intended for sowing stubble crops are abundantly fertilized for the main crop.
Harvesting fodder root crops.
When fodder root crops reach technical ripeness, the lower leaves turn yellow, wither and dry out. Their harvesting and storage should be completed by the end of September in the forest zone, in mid-October in the forest-steppe zone and further south. Varieties of root crops with roots deeply embedded in the soil can be harvested using beet lifters, beet harvesters, etc. To harvest varieties with shallow roots in the soil, potato diggers with removed elevators are often used. Dug up root crops are immediately cleared of soil and tops.
Storage of fodder root crops.
Only healthy, dry, strong and undamaged roots can be stored. Fodder root crops are stored in permanent storage facilities, trenches and piles at a temperature of 0.5--2°C and a relative air humidity of 85--90%. The piles and trenches should be directed from south to north. The height of the pile for beets is recommended 2--2.5 m, for rutabaga - 1--1.5 m. Turnips cannot be piled higher than 1 m, as it can rot. The length of the pile for beets, rutabaga and turnips is 15-20 m, and the width is 2-3 m. Carrots are best stored in trenches 70 cm high, 15-20 m long and 0.8-1 m wide.
In permanent storage facilities, root crops are stored in stacks or bins. It is better to store carrots in stacks interlayered with sand. Research and production testing have proven the possibility of storing carrots in bulk in bins with active ventilation.
Root crops are well preserved and do not rot due to the intensification of protective reactions and maintaining their surface in a dry state. Preservation of root crops in piles depends on the ventilation device. Exhaust ventilation is arranged in the form of tetrahedral wooden lattice pipes, for example rehau pipes, with a cross section of 25X25 cm with a gable lid, installed vertically at a distance of 1-2 m from each other. To install fresh air ventilation, a ditch 25 X 25 cm is dug at the bottom of the pit, which is taken out of the pile by 60 - 80 cm. It is covered with brushwood, thin poles or covered with a board with holes.
Root crops are placed along the edges and on top of the pile with their tops facing outward (their upper part is stronger than the lower part). Carrots must be placed horizontally in one row at a distance of 2-3 cm between individual roots. One layer of roots is separated from the other with damp soil or a 10 cm layer of sand. After laying in a pile and ventilation, the roots are covered with straw on top with a layer of up to 30 cm and sprinkled with earth with a layer of 18-20 cm so that they can give off their heat to the surrounding air. After cooling the roots to a temperature of 2°C, the soil layer is increased by 20-30 cm.
Root vegetables: carrots, beets, etc.
Black rot. It appears on seedlings in the form of a black leg, and on root crops during storage - in the form of black rot. The leaves of affected plants become covered with spots of various shapes, which first turn yellow, then turn brown, turn black and finally dry out. Deep digging of the soil helps; crop thinning; removal of plant residues; maintaining crop rotation.
Downy mildew. Causes fuzzy white spots to appear on the upper side of leaves. Subsequently, the spots turn brown. On the underside of the leaf, the spots are yellow or brown with a copious white coating. Alternation of crops is used with carrots returning to their original place only after 5–6 years; use of healthy seed; weed control; application of high doses of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers during autumn digging.
White rot. Especially dangerous. The causative agent of the disease is a fungus that is found on many vegetable crops, but carrots and parsley most often suffer from it. White rot rarely develops in carrot crops, but as soon as the root crop is pulled out of the ground, the carrots lose resistance to this disease. First, a loose white cotton wool-like coating appears - mycelium, which in some places becomes denser, curls into white, then blackening hard nodules. Droplets of liquid are released on their surface. Root vegetables soften, and the color of the fabric does not change. White rot is introduced into storage with infected root crops and soil and spreads from diseased carrots to healthy ones when they come into contact, so the infection is localized in the form of nests (foci). The most susceptible to white rot are injured, lethargic and frostbitten root crops. Increasing the temperature in storage to +4–5 °C increases the damage to root crops.
Gray rot also affects dried, mechanically damaged or frostbitten root crops. A thick grayish coating of mold appears on them. Later, small black inclusions form among it, and the affected tissue turns brown. The number of diseased root crops increases when carrots are stored in the same room as cabbage, which is also affected by gray rot.
There are no varieties resistant to these rots. Having discovered white and gray rot, carefully remove the foci of the disease. But do not pick at the root vegetables, otherwise you may spread the infection. Pollinate the place where the diseased carrots were located with chalk or fluff lime.
Rhizoctoniosis, or felt disease. The causative agent of the disease is a fungus that affects carrots, beets, turnips, parsley and other root vegetables both in the garden and in storage. Infection occurs in the second half of summer. The leaves of diseased plants wither, turn yellow and die. Subcutaneous gray-lead spots appear on root crops. Gradually they turn red, are slightly pressed in and are covered at first with a colorless, later reddish-violet dense felt coating. Then numerous, very small black dots form on the root crop. The affected root crop dries out and sometimes rots. The disease continues to develop in the storage facility. The source of infection is soil and diseased plants. In the garden, rhizoctonia blight appears in patches during heavy rainfall, warm weather, in low places, and on acidic heavy soils. The fungus accumulates in the soil and permeates it to such an extent that it becomes noticeable near plants in the form of mold on the soil.
Protective measures: Lime acidic soils. If you notice a source of disease in the beds, remove the diseased plants along with the adjacent soil. Return carrots and other vegetables that are affected by rhizoctonia to their original place no earlier than after four years.
Fomoz, or dry rot. The causative agent of the disease is a fungus that manifests itself on plants in the form of dry rot at the end of the growing season and during winter storage of carrots. Slightly depressed dark brown spots form on the head of the root crop (small black dots the size of poppy seeds are sometimes visible on them). When cut, the tissue is brownish-brown, loose, often with voids lined with white fluff - mycelium. The source of infection is contaminated seeds, roots and plant debris. As a protection, it is recommended to warm carrot seeds before sowing in water for 15 minutes at a temperature of +52–53 °C.
Wet bacterial rot. The causative agent is a bacterium that affects parsley, celery, and parsnips along with carrots. The disease begins in the garden beds. Watery spots form on the tail part of the carrots and the plants wilt. The disease develops especially intensively during storage: rot quickly spreads throughout the entire root crop. It becomes slimy, watery, its tissues decompose, emitting an unpleasant odor. Affected carrots turn into soft pulp and infect healthy root crops lying next to them. Root crops that are most susceptible to the disease are those that are withered, overcooled, damaged mechanically or by pests (carrot fly larva, wireworm). Rot is especially severe in warm autumn, when wet root crops are stored early and when the temperature in the storage is above +3 °C. The pathogen persists with plant residues in the soil and on rotten root crops in storage. Healthy root crops should be selected for storage and the temperature in the cellar should be controlled.
Carrot fly. The most dangerous enemies of carrots are carrot flies, as well as their larvae. The carrot fly can lay eggs in the garden bed if the seedlings are thinned too late. When the larvae emerge from the eggs, they immediately begin to “gnaw” the bark part of the root crop. Such carrots are no longer suitable for eating, as they have an unpleasant bitter taste. Every year, two generations of carrot flies appear. To combat it, mix tobacco dust with ash or slaked lime at the rate of 5 - 10 g per 1 square meter. m and sprinkle this mixture on the soil along the rows of carrots. Repeat this soil treatment 2–3 times at intervals of 8–10 days.
carrot psyllid. In early spring, it flies from the pine tree to young carrot tops. The female psyllid lays eggs, which hatch into larvae. Larvae and adult insects begin to suck the juice from the leaf petioles, which as a result shrink and dry out. Be sure to isolate carrot beds from coniferous plantings. And if this is not possible, then with the appearance of the first shoots, cover the beds with lutrasil or spunbond. They are opened only during weeding. If a psyllid does attack the carrot beds, you can scare it away by watering the seedlings with infusions of orange peels, tobacco dust or pine needles.
Medvedka- a large insect. With strong jaws it gnaws the roots and stems of young plants. To avoid the appearance of mole crickets in carrot beds, do not forget about deep digging of the soil in the fall and loosening the soil between the rows in the spring and summer. The mole cricket cannot stand the smell of kerosene, washing powder solution, infusion of fresh hot pepper and mustard.
Carrot moth harms all plants of the celery family. Females lay eggs on the flowers and buds of the plant. To get rid of moths, spray flowering carrots with a decoction of tomato tops. You can prepare it like this: finely chop 3.5 kg of tops and pour 10 liters of boiling water. Let the solution stand for two days and strain. Add 40–50 g of laundry soap to it and start spraying.
Root nematode harms a number of plants, including carrots. This worm-like insect that lives in the ground penetrates root crops, forming growths and swellings. Carrots affected by nematodes are no longer suitable for food. Nematode infection occurs due to contaminated seed materials. It is necessary to prevent the introduction and spread of nematodes in greenhouses and greenhouses with soil and planting material, and remove plant debris. Deep digging of the soil and creation of conditions for better growth and development of plants are necessary.
Wireworm. Damages carrots, parsnips, celery and parsley by eating holes in root crops. Places littered with wheatgrass are especially attractive to this pest. When digging the soil, you need to carefully select weed rhizomes and remove beetle larvae. Deep autumn digging and periodic change of sites for sowing root crops from the celery family are useful.
Naked slugs. Quite large, omnivorous. Slugs are usually active at night or in damp weather. They eat into the fruits and destroy the seedlings. During the day they hide under leaves, stones, closer to the damp ground, where they are not so hot. To avoid the appearance of slugs in the garden, drain all low damp areas and remove old grass lying on the site so as not to create cozy havens for insects.
Fall armyworm. This butterfly harms many vegetable plants, including carrots. Its caterpillars gnaw leaf petioles and gnaw root crops. To repel insects, spray carrots with infusions of chamomile, yarrow, decoctions of burdock leaves and some other plants. To prevent the spread of insects, you must first take care of the destruction of weeds.
Beet leaf miner. Lays eggs on the underside of young leaves. After 3–6 days, the larvae that hatch from them penetrate the leaf and eat away the tissue on which swollen spots appear. Damaged leaves lighten, then turn yellow and gradually die. The larvae reappear in late July - early August and damage the leaves of adult plants. In warm September, the third generation of leafminer flies may appear. This insect overwinters in the pupal phase. The death of the fly is facilitated by deep autumn digging of the soil.
Common beet flea beetle. A common pest that causes great damage to table beets. Early in spring, the beetle settles on weeds and damages young leaves. It is easy to spot by its black color with a green or bronze tint. Beetles damage seedlings and young plants, eating leaves to holes. In June, beetles lay eggs. The hatched larvae penetrate the beet roots and damage them. The pest overwinters along the edges of the garden, the banks of canals and near roads. In warm, dry weather, these places are treated with a 20–30% solution of table salt to destroy weed seedlings and deprive fleas of food.
Beet scale. The pest is widespread. The scale insect damages beet seedlings by laying eggs on quinoa, pigweed and other weeds. After 6–7 days, larvae emerge from them. They pupate on leaves. After 7–12 days, beetles emerge from the pupae and overwinter, hiding under leaves and weeds. To combat the larvae, the same drugs are used as against the beet flea beetle. Timely destruction of weeds from the goosefoot family and deep autumn digging of the soil are recommended.
Beet aphid. Causes less damage than other pests, but produces 8–10 generations over the summer. It settles on the underside of the leaf and overwinters in the egg phase, which insects lay on euonymus, viburnum and jasmine. In spring, wingless females emerge from the larvae. Damaged leaves curl, plants are stunted, and the quantity and quality of root crops decreases. To combat aphids, plants are sprayed with drugs used against sucking pests. The use of insect predators is effective: ladybugs, syrphid fly larvae, etc.
Corneater. The source of the disease is various soil fungi that infect seedlings. The root and root collar of plants turn brown and rot. The disease is promoted by severe compaction, acidic reaction, waterlogging of the soil and oxygen starvation of the roots.
This text is an introductory fragment. From the book Dacha. What and how can you grow? author Bannikov Evgeniy AnatolievichRoot crops RADISH. Vegetable growers call radishes a cold-resistant crop, because its seeds germinate already at 4–5 C heat. Under the film, radish seedlings tolerate a temporary decrease in temperature to +1–2 C. In general, radishes are more sensitive to exceeding optimal temperatures than to their
From the book How to Increase Soil Fertility author Khvorostukhina Svetlana Alexandrovna From the book To the Gardener and Gardener of the Don author Tyktin N.V.Root crops This group unites a number of vegetable crops that are similar in the nature of their use. They are grown mainly for the unusually strongly developed roots they eat. Most root vegetables contain quite a lot of vitamins, mineral salts and
From the book Everyday Gardener's Recipe. The gardener's golden book, time-tested author Steinberg Pavel NikolaevichCarrots, rutabaga, beets, radishes Carrot cultureThe best variety of long carrots is currently recognized as Nantes, famous for its productivity and good both table and fodder properties. Carrot seeds should always be sown ground, early in spring. Earth
From the book Vegetable Garden. Roots. What can you grow? author Melnikov IlyaRoot vegetables RADISH. Vegetable growers call radishes a cold-resistant crop, because its seeds germinate already at 4–5 C heat. Under the film, radish seedlings tolerate a temporary decrease in temperature to +1–2 °C. In general, radishes are more sensitive to exceeding optimal temperatures than to
From the book The Big Book of the Summer Resident author Petrovskaya Larisa GeorgievnaPotatoes, carrots and beets If the scale of your plot allows you to harvest tubers and root crops, below you will find some useful tips for growing potatoes, carrots and beets. The main biological feature of potatoes is their
From the book Garden and vegetable garden on a summer cottage. 500 detailed answers to all the most important questions authorRoot vegetables 206. What is the basic care for root vegetables? They need soil with a neutral reaction and sufficiently filled with organic matter. Almost all root vegetables, except beets, are cold-resistant plants. They only need watering when they are young. From the moment of tying
From the book 1000 of the most important questions and the most complete answers about the garden and vegetable garden author Kizima Galina AlexandrovnaRoot vegetables 420. Why do doctors so diligently recommend that children eat carrots? Yes, because carrots contain no less carotene (provitamin A) than apricots! In addition, carrots are rich in mineral salts. It must be included in baby food. Fresh
From the book Secrets of Rich Harvests author Sitnikova TatyanaRoot vegetables 802. Why do doctors so diligently recommend that children eat carrots? Yes, because carrots contain no less carotene (provitamin A) than apricots! In addition, carrots are rich in mineral salts. It must be included in baby food. Fresh
From the book Handbook of a Skilled Gardener authorRoots
From the book The Healing Properties of Fruits and Vegetables author Khramova Elena Yurievna From the book Garden and Vegetable Garden. What? When? How? 10,000 most useful tips author Kizima Galina AlexandrovnaRutabaga is a root vegetable of the cabbage family and a close relative of the turnip, most likely resulting from the crossing of turnips and kale. The shape of this root vegetable resembles a beet, its pulp has a sweetish taste, and you can eat it raw, fried,
From the book 1001 answers to important questions for gardeners and gardeners author Kizima Galina AlexandrovnaRoot vegetables 802. Why do doctors so diligently recommend that children eat carrots? Yes, because carrots contain no less carotene (provitamin A) than apricots! In addition, carrots are rich in mineral salts. It must be included in baby food. Fresh
From the book New Encyclopedia of the Gardener and Gardener [edition expanded and revised] author Ganichkin Alexander VladimirovichRoot vegetables Why do doctors so diligently recommend that children eat carrots? Yes, because carrots contain no less carotene (provitamin A) than apricots! In addition, carrots are rich in mineral salts. It must be included in baby food. Fresh
From the book Russian vegetable garden, nursery and orchard. A guide to the most profitable arrangement and management of vegetable and garden farming author Schroeder Richard Ivanovich From the author's bookII. Root vegetables Root vegetables in gardening are plants whose fleshy roots are used as food. For forcing in greenhouses, only carrots, radishes and
Roots
Root crops include sugar and fodder beets, fodder carrots, rutabaga and turnips. From these root crops, sugar beets are grown both as a fodder crop and as a technical crop - as the main raw material for sugar production.
Along with juicy tubers, root vegetables also produce a lot of juicy tops, rich in nutrients. Tubers and tops of root crops have several times more dry matter per unit area compared to grain crops and forage grasses.
Root vegetables contain a lot of carbohydrates and mineral salts. Brightly colored varieties of carrots contain large amounts of carotene. The introduction of root vegetables into the diet of animals has a beneficial effect on their productivity.
The dry matter content in root vegetables is 7...16%, in sugar beets it reaches 23...26%. The share of sugar in dry matter accounts for 40...79%. In the tops of beets and carrots, the dry matter content is approximately the same as in root vegetables, and in the tops of rutabaga and turnips it is approximately 3...5% higher. Compared to root vegetables, the leaves contain less sugar, more protein, fiber, carotene, and vitamin C. The tops can be fed fresh, ensiled and dried.
Root crops are largely similar to each other in biological characteristics and morphological structure. The root vegetable can be divided into 3 parts: the head, the neck and the root itself.
The head is located at the top of the root crop and bears leaves. It appears during the development of a growth cone and is a stem formation.
The neck is located below the head. It grows from the subcotyledon and does not bear leaves or roots.
The root itself is located in the lower part of the root crop; it is an overgrown main root on which roots are formed.
Root crops have a two-year development cycle. In the first year, a rosette of leaves and a thickened root with a large supply of nutrients are formed. In the second year, flowering shoots appear from the buds on the head of the planted root, producing seeds.
Beet. This is an annual and biennial herbaceous plant of the goosefoot family (Fig. 48).
In the first year of life, beets form a root crop and a rosette of leaves; in the second year after planting the root crop in the ground, it forms stems with leaves and flowers. The two-year development cycle ends with fruiting - the formation of seeds (balls).
By method of use, beets are divided as follows:
sugar, which accumulates up to 20% sugar or more in the root crop;
As a rule, fodder and sugar beets are grown for livestock feed.
Fodder beet is the most important milk feed for dairy cattle and is of great importance in the silage type of animal feeding. Semi-sugar beets are also classified as fodder beets.
1 kg of fodder beet roots contains 1...1.2 feed. units and 9... 13% dry matter. Dairy cows are fed up to 30-40 kg of root crops, fattening bulls - up to 50, calves over one year old - 6...8 kg. Usually, when feeding fodder beets, the milk has a pleasant smell, but when using large amounts of root vegetables, it may develop an unpleasant aftertaste and the fat content may decrease. The contamination of fed root crops should not exceed 2...3%.
Small root vegetables must be chopped before feeding, as animals may choke. They are crushed no earlier than 1...2 hours before feeding, otherwise the root vegetables turn black. In autumn, root vegetables can be fed along with the tops.
Breeders have developed many varieties of fodder beet, but the most common are Eckendorf yellow, Semi-sugar white, Barres, Ideal, etc.
Fodder beets are cultivated in all agricultural zones of Russia.
Fodder beet crops should be placed primarily in fodder crop rotations near the farm. It grows on various soils: chernozems, cultivated sod-podzolic and gray loams. Does not like acidic soils.
Fodder beets remove large amounts of nutrients from the soil. To get high yields, it is necessary to add organic and mineral fertilizers to the soil. Thus, on chernozem soils the average rate of manure application is 20... 25 t/ha, on podzolic soils, loams and wort - 30... 40 t/ha. In addition, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be applied. It is better to plow in organic and mineral fertilizers in autumn or spring during pre-sowing cultivation.
Fodder beet is a moisture-loving crop. High yields of root crops (50...80 t/ha or more) are obtained on soils that are well supplied with moisture throughout the growing season, and especially on floodplains or under irrigation.
The soil for fodder beets is plowed to a depth of 25... 30 cm. Planted in a wide row with row spacing of 60 or 70 cm. The seeding depth is 3... 4 cm. The beet seeding rate is 10... 15 kg/ha.
Fodder beet seeds germinate at a temperature of 3... 4 °C, seedlings are able to tolerate short-term frosts up to 4 °C. At higher temperatures, seeds germinate faster and beet seedlings appear. The optimal temperature for growing beets is 15... 20 °C.
To destroy weeds and improve the air regime of the soil, the first fine loosening of the rows is carried out with cultivators. The depth of inter-row cultivation is 4... 5 cm with a protective zone on both sides of the rows of 8... 10 cm.
To obtain large root crops, beet seedlings are thinned out when the first pair of true leaves appears.
Further care of beet crops consists of treating row spacing and fertilizing. To develop a leaf rosette, quickly close the rows and obtain a high yield, two inter-row treatments are sufficient, while 1.5 quintals of ammonium nitrate, 1... 2 quintals of superphosphate, 1 quintal of potassium chloride and 15 tons of diluted slurry are applied per 1 hectare of plantings .
Fodder beets are harvested at the end of September or at the beginning of October, but always before the onset of frost. 2...3 days before harvesting root crops, the tops are removed, crushed and ensiled using mowers.
Beet root crops are harvested manually, using a cultivator, on the beam of which plowshare-type plows are attached; mounted or semi-mounted tractor potato digging machines.
The duration of the growing season for different varieties of fodder beet is 120... 145 days.
Carrot. This is a biennial, rarely annual, herbaceous plant (Fig. 49). In the first year, carrots form a root crop with a basal rosette of leaves; in the second year, flower stems appear, it blooms and produces seeds. The flowers are bisexual, collected in a complex umbrella. Cross pollination. Carrot root crop depending on 
varieties have different colors. Table carrots are usually red and red-orange in color, while fodder carrots are yellow and white.
Carrots are cultivated as a vegetable and as a fodder crop. Compared to fodder beets, carrots are less productive; on average, they yield 30...40 t/ha. But it contains more digestible protein, carotene, vitamins, and minerals. 1 kg of carrots contains 0.12... 0.14 feed. units Carrot tops are also highly valued.
Carrots are a long-day plant, relatively cold-resistant; seedlings tolerate frosts down to -2 °C. Carrots grow well on loose, fertile sandy loams and loams with a neutral and slightly acidic reaction. Relatively drought-resistant, but requires sufficient moisture for normal growth and development.
Carrots are grown in vegetable crop rotation. The best predecessors are legumes, early cabbage, early potatoes, cucumbers, and tomatoes. In the fall, peeling and fall plowing are carried out, in the spring - harrowing, cultivation, and rolling. Organic (up to 40 t/ha of manure or well-decomposed humus) and mineral (2... 3 t/ha of potassium salt, 3... 4 t/ha of superphosphate) fertilizers are applied to carrots. Sow using one-, two- and three-line belt methods. The seed sowing rate is 4...6 kg/ha, planting depth is 1.5...2 cm. To obtain earlier production, winter sowings are used. During the growing season, the row spacing is loosened several times to a depth of 4 to 12 cm, weeds are destroyed, seedlings are thinned out at a distance of 3...5 cm, the crops are fertilized, and in dry weather they are watered. Carrots are harvested by hand and also with potato harvesters.
The growing season of carrots in the first year of life is 75... 150 days, in the second - 90... 100 days.
Swede. This is a vegetable and fodder crop that grows mainly in northern humid areas. Rutabaga root vegetables contain 10...16% dry matter, 5...10% sugars, as well as carotene, ascorbic acid, and minerals. Rutabaga is superior in vitamin C content to all types of root vegetables. 100 kg of rutabaga root vegetables contain 13 feed. units
Rutabaga is a herbaceous biennial plant of the cabbage family.
In the first year of sowing rutabaga, a rosette of leaves and a large root crop develop. Depending on the variety, the shape of root crops can be round, oval, round-oval, flat-oval, round-cone-shaped or cylindrical; the skin and flesh are yellow or yellow-white. The leaves are dark green, smooth, with a waxy coating.
In the second year, when the root crop is planted, branching stems with inflorescences are formed. The fruit is a multi-seeded pod with dark brown seeds.
In Russia, rutabaga is cultivated mainly in the Non-Black Earth zone of the European part of the country and in Siberia.
Rutabagas are placed in near-farm crop rotations. Its best predecessors are potatoes, vegetable, winter and grain legumes. Rutabaga grows well in any soil except sandy soil, but loamy soil rich in organic matter is most suitable for it.
To form a rutabaga crop, large quantities of mineral nutrition are required. Therefore, per unit area of crops it is necessary to apply the same amount of fertilizer as for fodder beet.
Deep autumn plowing, careful spring pre-sowing soil preparation, as well as early sowing are necessary techniques for cultivating rutabaga. Early crops are less damaged by pests.
The sowing method is wide-row with row spacing of 60 or 70 cm, seeding depth is 2... 3 cm. Small rutabaga seeds are sown with ballast - a fine fraction of granulated superphosphate in the ratio of 9 kg of superphosphate per 1 kg of seeds. The seeding rate is 3... 4 kg/ha. After bouquets and testing for germination, 75...90 thousand plants should remain per 1 hectare.
Seeds germinate at a temperature of 2...3 °C. At 5...7 °C they germinate in 4...7 days, and at 16...21 °C - 2...4 days after sowing. Plants tolerate spring and autumn frosts without major damage. Temperatures above 30 °C negatively affect the growth and development of rutabaga. The crop has a great need for moisture and produces low yields in dry areas.
The growing season in the first year of rutabaga life is 110... 150 days. Due to such a long growing season, rutabaga seedlings are sometimes planted in more northern areas. The growing season in the second year of life is 60... 70 days.
Caring for crops after thinning consists of fertilizing and loosening the row spacing. Rutabaga is harvested manually or using potato harvesters. Rutabaga root crops are only 1/3... 1/2 immersed in the soil, so they are easy to harvest. Thanks to the thick bark, rutabaga roots are well preserved in winter in piles or storage.
The harvest of rutabaga root crops is usually 40... 60 t/ha.
Turnip (forage turnip). 100 kg of root crops of this crop contain up to 9 feed. units and about 0.7 kg of digestible protein, 100 kg of tops - 11.5 feed. units and 1.8 kg of protein.
Turnip is a biennial plant of the cabbage family (Fig. 50). In the first year, a basal rosette of leaves develops (buds are located in the axils of the leaves) and a thickened root crop. The shape of the root crop is cylindrical, oval, spherical; Color depending on the variety: white, yellow, pinkish. In root crops planted in the second year, stems, inflorescences and fruits that produce seeds develop from dormant buds of basal leaves. The fruit is a multi-seeded pod; the seeds are small - the weight of 1000 seeds is 1.5 ... 3 g, they are dark brown in color.
Due to its low demands on heat and solar radiation, turnips in Russia are cultivated further north than other root crops and even beyond the Arctic Circle. It is grown in the European part of the country, in the Urals, Siberia, and in the mountainous zone of the Caucasus. The growing season of turnip is 70... 100 days.
Turnip is very moisture-loving and grows well on loamy and sandy loam soddy-podzolic soils with sufficient application of organic and mineral fertilizers. It is placed in near-farm and forage crop rotations, but it cannot be grown after other plants of the cabbage family.
Turnips are sown in a wide-row manner with row spacings of 45 and 60 cm and distances in rows of 20...25 cm, seeding depth of 1.5...2.5 cm. The seeding rate is 2.3. ..4.5 kg/ha. Sowed at the end of May - beginning of June, if re-sown - in the summer. Seeds germinate at temperatures of 2...3 °C, and seedlings tolerate frosts down to -3 °C.
Care of plantings - thinning of plants and systematic loosening of rows with fertilizing. Turnip crops can be used to graze large and small cattle, as well as pigs.
Turnip roots are easily pulled out of the soil. They are harvested manually or using potato harvesters. Average - yield of turnip root crops is 40... 50 t/ha (on irrigated lands 100 t/ha and above), tops - 15... 20 t/ha.
Root vegetables are vegetables that people grow for their fruits, which are found underground. The fruits contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals, as well as sugar and protein. We use them to prepare various dishes and for winter preparations. The plant consists of three parts: head, neck and root.
Types of Root Vegetables
In total, there are 3 types of root vegetables. The separation occurs on the basis of their differences in size, appearance, structure and nutritional elements in the composition.
Root vegetables are vegetables whose fruit is found underground.
In accordance with this, the following types are distinguished:
- Carrot type vegetables. The core of these vegetables contains less nutritious vegetables and is lighter in color. Their bast part contains a large amount of useful substances.
- Vegetables similar to radishes. Here the opposite is true: nutrients accumulate in the middle. Such vegetables have a round or oblong shape. Color may vary.
- Beet type vegetables. In such vegetables, nutrients also accumulate in the bast part, and the woody part contains few vitamins and minerals.
Vegetables included in the group of root vegetables require abundant watering and fertile soil.
Root vegetable families
There are three families of vegetables:
- Brassicas or cruciferous vegetables. These vegetables grow best in temperate climates. Among them you can find both annual vegetables, as well as biennial and three-year old ones. Such vegetables are pollinated by insects, as they develop inflorescences during the ripening period.
- Umbrella Their distinctive feature is the inflorescences in the form of umbrellas. The color of the flowers can vary, but most often it is pale. Vegetables from this family are also of great importance for humans.
- Asteraceae. They are distinguished by their complex inflorescences. Also among them you can find annual and biennial plants.
Let's look at the families of root vegetables, as well as the list of vegetables included in them.
Brassicas or cruciferous vegetables
This includes vegetables such as:
- Beet. It is rich in vitamin C, helps remove waste and toxins from the body. It is distinguished by juicy pulp, high content of vitamins and minerals, as well as sugar.
- Turnip. Turnips contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins B, C, PP, as well as carotene, calcium, phosphorus, iron and others.
- Radish. Radishes contain large amounts of vitamin C, B, A and minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and others.
Vegetables of this family are used by people constantly and are beneficial for our health.
