TURNIP

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

Turnip cultivars can be put under different groups on the basis of morphological characters of their root and top.
1. White fleshed
a) Purple-topped
i) Flat type: Purple Top Milan
ii) Globe type: Purple Top White Globe
b) Green topped
i) Globe type: Green Top White, Green Globe
ii) Long type: Cowhorn
c) White topped
i) Flat type: White Milan, White Flat Dutch
ii) Globe type: White Stone, Quick Silver
iii) Half long type: White Egg, White Gem
iv) Long type: Lily White
2. Yellow fleshed
a) Purple-topped globe-type: Aberdeen Purple Top
b) Bronze or green-topped, globe type: Aberdeen Green Top, Amber Globe
c) Yellow-topped, globe type: Yellow Globe, Golden Ball, All Seasons
3. Foliage cultivars
Flat Japan, Shogoin, Seven Top
Turnip varieties can be put into two distant groups viz.
Temperate Type (European Type):
  • They are biennial because they require two seasons for seed production.
  • They produce seed only in the hills of India.
  • They are quick growing, early and low yielding but excellent in quality.
  • They require temperate climate for seed production.
  • Purple Top White Globe (PTWG), Snow Ball, Golden Ball, Pusa Swarnima, Pusa Chandrima, Early Milan Red Top and Early White Milan are some important varieties.
4.3
Tropical Type (Asian Type):
  • They are high yielding but poor in quality.
  • They are slow growing and remain edible for a long period.
  • They can produce seed both in temperate and sub tropical climate but it is not economical to produce their seeds in hills due to slow growing nature in the temperate climate and thus require more time, land occupation period and labour.
  • Pusa Kanchan, Pusa Swati and Punjab Safed are some of the important cultivars.
A few important cultivars under both the types i.e. temperate and tropical are given below:
European or Temperate Types:
Purple Top White Globe:
  • Roots nearly round, large, smooth, skin purplish red on upper portion which extends above soil surface, lower portion creamy coloured and flesh is white, firm and crisp.
  • Best for dehydration, matures in 60-65days after sowing and average yield is 250-300q/ha.
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.
Snow Ball:
  • It is an early variety, roots are medium sized, round, smooth and white.
  • Flesh is white, fine grained, and tender with sweet taste.
Pusa Swarnima:
  • Developed by hybridization between Japanese White x Golden Ball.
  • Roots are flattish round, 6-7cm in length and 7-8cm in diameter, light creamy, yellow skin with pale amber colour flesh, fine texture and flavour.
Pusa Chandrima:
  • It is an early maturing variety developed by hybridization between Japanese White (Asiatic type) x Snow Ball (European type) at IARI Regional Station, Katrain, Kullu Valley, HP.
  • Roots medium to large in size, flattish round, 8-9cm long and 9-10cm in diameter, smooth, white skin, flesh white, fine grained, sweet and tender.
Asiatic or Tropical Types:
Pusa Kanchan:
  • It is selection from the cross between Asiatic Red x Golden Ball
  • Roots round, medium sized, skin red, flesh light yellow, excellent in taste and flavour.
  • Roots do not develop pithiness even if harvesting is delayed.
Pusa Swati:
  • Roots are flattish round, white, 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 in about 60 days.
Last modified: Sunday, 17 June 2012, 12:46 PM