Turnip rape

Economic importance

Oil content in seeds of turnip rape ranges from 32 to 50%, protein — up to 20–23%, carbohydrates — up to 17%. In agricultural production, spring and winter forms of turnip rape are used.

Turnip rape oil is semi-drying and is used for food and technical purposes.

Turnip rape can be grown as a forage crop to obtain green mass, silage, haylage, grass meal. For these purposes it can be cultivated both in main and in intermediate and post-cutting sowings. Feed value is similar to that of rapeseed: 100 kg of green mass corresponds to 16 feed units and contains 3 kg of protein or 190 g per 1 feed unit. Green mass is readily eaten by animals, digestibility coefficient 70–80%.

Turnip rape can also serve as green manure.

Good honey plant.

Oil cake and meal of winter turnip rape (varieties with reduced content of erucic acid and glucosinolates) are considered good concentrated feeds for farm animals. Oil cake and meal from seeds of ordinary varieties can also be fed to animals, but in small amounts. 1 kg of oil cake corresponds to 1 feed unit.

History

Originates from the Mediterranean.

Cultivation areas and yield

As a forage crop, turnip rape is grown in Eastern and Western Siberia, in the Central Black Earth and Non-Black Earth zones of Russia, as well as in northern Kazakhstan, Ukraine and the Baltic countries.

In seed yield, turnip rape is inferior to rapeseed; however, under Siberian conditions it reliably ripens, unlike rapeseed.

With observance of the entire set of technological practices and consideration of all factors ensuring high and stable yields, using modern varieties, plant protection products and a machinery system, the seed yield of spring turnip rape can reach 1.7–2.0 t/ha.

The yield of green mass when used for forage purposes reaches 25–40 t/ha.

Botanical description

Spring turnip rape (Brassica rapa L. ssp. oleifera campestris) and winter turnip rape (Brassica rapa L. ssp. oleifera automnalis) are annual herbaceous plants of the family Brassicaceae (Brassicaceae).

In addition, hybrids have been bred that may be of great interest for agricultural production. The hybrid Perko is a polyploid hybrid of winter turnip rape and Pak choi (Brassica chinensis L.). The hybrid Typhon is a hybrid of winter turnip rape and turnip.

Root is taproot, well developed, weakly branched, penetrates the soil to a depth of 1.5–2 m.

Stem erect, branched, glaucous from a dense waxy bloom, pubescent below.

Plant height 100–170 cm.

Rosette leaves lyrate-pinnatifid, with sparse stiff pubescence and without a waxy coating. Middle leaves elongated-hastate. Upper leaves elongated-lanceolate. Stem leaves sessile, completely clasping the stem at the lower part.

Inflorescence a corymb; fruits with a longer beak than in rapeseed.

1000-seed weight 1.6–3.5 g.

Biological features

Turnip rape is a long-day plant.

Seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of 1–3 °C. Seedlings can tolerate frosts down to -3…-5 °C. Plants are able to vegetate at 2–3 °C of warmth and tolerate autumn frosts down to -8 °C.

For winter turnip rape crops, sharp temperature fluctuations in spring after snowmelt pose a great danger.

Winter turnip rape and Perko are considered more winter-hardy than rapeseed due to the relatively lower location of growth points from the soil surface (0.5 cm).

Turnip rape is demanding for moisture. During the growing season, water consumption is 1.5–2.0 times greater than that of winter wheat. The transpiration coefficient is 500–700.

It can grow on all soil types, except heavy clay and sandy, acidic and waterlogged. It is demanding for soil fertility.

Vegetation

The period from emergence to stem elongation is 30–40 days, after which rapid growth of vegetative mass begins.

Spring regrowth and developmental phases of winter turnip rape and Perko occur 5–7 days earlier than in rapeseed.

The period from emergence to ripening is 75–90 days.

The following growth and development phases are noted in winter turnip rape:

• emergence;
• rosette formation (6–8 leaves);
• stem elongation;
• flowering;
• pod formation;
• milk stage of seeds;
• waxy ripeness;
• full ripeness.

{p-table-title}Table. Phases of growth and development of winter turnip rape (Shpaar D., Western Europe).<2>

table:[table_1]

Crop rotation

The cultivation technology of turnip rape requires taking into account its biological characteristics: small seed size, slow growth and development in the initial phases of development, high requirements for nutrients and soil fertility.

The best preceding crops for winter turnip rape for seed are black and occupied fallows, perennial grasses, silage crops, annual forage grasses for green fodder (except Sudan grass). In the North Caucasus, also cereal ear crops. In crop rotation, it should not be returned to the field earlier than after 4 years or placed after cruciferous crops, as well as on fields infested with weeds of the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae).

The best preceding crops for spring turnip rape are cereal crops following fallow, row crops, and the turnover of perennial grass sod.

The technology of growing winter and spring turnip rape for green fodder is similar to growing rapeseed for the same purposes: for winter turnip rape, the best preceding crops are perennial grass sod or its turnover, grain legumes, row crops, winter and spring cereal crops.

In crop rotations, like rapeseed, thanks to its powerful root system, turnip rape is considered a phytosanitary crop.

Fertilizer system

Turnip rape responds well to the application of fertilizers, primarily nitrogen and potassium.

For the fallow-occupied crop, it is recommended to apply manure at 20–30 t/ha. In the North Caucasus, to obtain high seed yields, N_90-120P_60-90K_60-90 is applied under plowing. According to recommendations of the VNII of Feed, in the Non-Black Earth zone, 90 kg/ha a.i. of potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are applied under plowing, 50 kg/ha a.i. of nitrogen is applied under pre-sowing cultivation, and 60–90 kg/ha — in top dressing in early spring. It is advisable to calculate fertilizer rates for the planned yield taking into account nutrient reserves in the soil and their removal with the yield.

When growing winter turnip rape for green fodder, between the first and second cuts it is desirable to carry out top dressing with nitrogen fertilizers at an approximate rate of 60 kg/ha a.i.

Tillage system

Tillage for winter turnip rape is the same as for rapeseed.

Sowing

Sowing of winter turnip rape begins 2–3 weeks earlier than winter cereals, so that by winter the plants form a powerful leaf rosette, a deeply penetrating root system, and undergo hardening.

Methods of sowing winter and spring turnip rape are conventional row or wide-row.

Seeding rates for winter and spring turnip rape: for the conventional row method 12–15 kg/ha, for wide-row — 6–8 kg/ha.

Sowing depth of winter turnip rape seeds is 2–3 cm (Vavilov; according to other data 0.5–2 cm, Kolomeichenko), and when the topsoil dries out — up to (3) 4–5 cm.

When growing winter turnip rape for green mass, sowing begins early in spring and is carried out simultaneously with sowing of early spring crops.

Spring turnip rape is sown early, simultaneously with early spring crops.

Sowing depth of spring turnip rape seeds is 3–4 cm.

When winter turnip rape is used for a green conveyor, it is sown in August. Seeding rate is 2.5 million viable seeds per 1 ha, or 6–7 kg/ha. The choice of optimal sowing dates determines plant resistance to overwintering conditions. For this, plants must go into winter having formed a rosette of 6–8 leaves. To improve overwintering conditions, it is desirable to create screens of white mustard, whose seeds at 1–1.5 kg/ha are mixed with winter turnip rape seeds.

Winter turnip rape for green fodder can be grown using a technology with undersown crops. In this case, it is sown as usual in autumn, and in early spring a mixture of common vetch, oats and annual ryegrass is undersown into it. Seeding rates in this case are 120 kg/ha, 100 kg/ha and 25–30 kg/ha. Sowing is carried out with disk seeders across the rows of winter rapeseed. Sowing depth on heavy soils is 3–4 cm, on light soils — 5–6 cm.

In post-cutting sowings, winter turnip rape can be sown in a mixture with other crops, for example, oats, peas, sunflower, oilseed radish, white mustard. Recommended seeding rates: rapeseed (5–6 kg/ha), oilseed radish or white mustard (20–25 kg/ha), oats (100–130 kg/ha), sunflower (10–15 kg/ha), peas (90–100 kg/ha). In this case, first a mixture of peas, oats and sunflower is sown, then the soil is rolled and a mixture of winter and spring Brassica crops is sown.

Crop care

Care of winter turnip rape crops is similar to care of rapeseed crops.

Plant protection

To control pests in turnip rape crops, spraying with metaphos at 0.2–0.3 kg/ha a.i. is used. Treatment is not carried out in the flowering phase to avoid causing death of bees.

To control weeds, the herbicide Treflan 25% can be used at an application rate of 2.5–3 l/ha, which is applied under pre-sowing cultivation.

The main diseases of rapeseed are downy mildew, alternaria blight, powdery mildew.

To control diseases and pests, approved preparations for Brassica crops are used:

• FERAZIM, SC, seeds are treated against root rots;
• VITAVAX 200, WP, seeds are treated against seed molding, black spot or black mold, downy mildew, Helminthosporium root rot;
• FOLICUR, EC and FARAON, EC, spraying is carried out during the growing season against alternaria blight and sclerotinia rot;
• ALTALF, EC, TSUNAMI, EC, ALFA CIPI, EC, ALFAS, EC, ROTALAZ, EC, FASKORD, EC, TSEZAR, EC, PIKET, EC, KINMIKS, EC; against rapeseed blossom beetle, cruciferous flea beetles, spraying is carried out during the growing season;
• VANTEX, CS, against rapeseed blossom beetle, spraying is carried out during the growing season;
• DECIS, EC, SPLENDER, EC, ATOM, EC, DECIS EXTRA, EC; against rapeseed blossom beetle, bugs, white butterflies, flea beetles, aphids, spraying is carried out during the growing season;
• ROGOR S, EC, DI-68, EC; against cruciferous flea beetles, seedlings are sprayed;
• FURY, EW, TARAN, EW, TARZAN, EW; against rapeseed blossom beetle, spraying of seedlings and during the growing season is carried out;
• CHINUK, SC, against cruciferous flea beetles, seed treatment is carried out;
• HINUFUR, SC, BETAFUR, SC, FURADAN t.p.s.; against cruciferous flea beetles, seed treatment is carried out;
• KARATE, EC, LAMBDA-S, EC, KUNGFU, EC; against rapeseed blossom beetle, spraying is carried out during the growing season;
• KARACHAR, EC, MAVRIK, EW, ZOLON, EC, FORT, EC; against rapeseed blossom beetle, spraying is carried out during the growing season;
• ARRIVO, EC; against rapeseed blossom beetle, cruciferous flea beetles, bugs, white butterflies, aphids, spraying is carried out during the growing season;
• KREOTSID-50, EC, KREOTSID-100, EC, SUMI-ALFA, EC, SEMPLAY, EC; against rapeseed blossom beetle, cruciferous flea beetles, spraying is carried out during the growing season;
• OPERKOT, WP; against rapeseed blossom beetle, spraying is carried out during the growing season;
• KARBAFOS, EC, KARBOFOT, EC, FUFANON, EC, KEMIFOS, EC, BUNCHUK, EC; against mites, aphids, cutworms, bugs, leaf beetles, cabbage moths, sawflies, blossom beetles, leaf beetles, meadow moths, spraying is carried out during the growing season;
• ZOLON, EC, BULDOG, EC; against rapeseed blossom beetle, spraying is carried out during the growing season.

For weed control in Brassica crops, the following preparations are approved for use:

• ZELLEK-SUPER, EC; against annual grass weeds, spraying is carried out at the 2–3 leaf stage of weeds, regardless of the crop development phase;
• LONTREL-300, SL, LONTREL GRAND, WG, AGRON GRAND, WG; against all species of sow thistle (Sonchus spp.), chamomile, knotweed, spraying is carried out at the 3–4 leaf stage of the crop;
• BUTIZAN 400, SC; against annual grass and dicotyledonous weeds, spraying of crops is carried out before crop emergence;
• DEVRINOL, WP; against annual dicotyledonous weeds, soil spraying (with incorporation) is carried out before sowing;
• DUAL GOLD, EC; against annual grass and some dicotyledonous weeds, spraying is carried out before sowing or before crop emergence;
• TREFLAN, EC; against annual grass and dicotyledonous weeds, soil spraying is carried out before sowing;
• FURORE-SUPER 7.5, EW, FURORE EXPRESS, EC; against annual grass weeds (wild oat (Avena fatua), foxtail species (Setaria spp.), barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli)), spraying of crops is carried out on vegetative weeds, starting from the 2-leaf stage until the end of tillering;
• FUSILADE-SUPER, EC, FUSILADE FORTE, EC; against annual grass weeds, spraying of crops is carried out at the 2–4 leaf stage of weeds; also against perennial grass weeds, spraying of crops is carried out when weeds are 10–15 cm high.

Harvesting

Winter turnip rape is characterized by an extended period of seed ripening.

Harvesting is carried out in one phase upon the onset of full ripeness using grain combines adjusted for harvesting small-seeded crops.

In dry weather, two-phase harvesting is more preferable. Plants are cut into swaths when the lower leaves fall, about half of the pods on the plant acquire a lemon-yellow color, and seed moisture is 30–40%. Threshing of swaths is carried out as they dry and at seed moisture of 10–11%. In a wet autumn, threshing is carried out at seed moisture of not more than 20% with immediate cleaning and drying to 10–12%.

When growing winter turnip rape for green fodder, its harvesting is similar to that of rapeseed used for the same purposes.

Varieties of turnip rape

Winter turnip rape varieties: Izumrudnaya, Vesnyanka contain an increased amount of erucic acid and glucosinolates.

At the VNII of Oil Crops (Krasnodar), winter turnip rape varieties have been developed: VNIIMK 213 (2000) and Zlata (2002).

List of sources

1. Vavilov P. P., Gritsenko V. V., Kuznetsov V. S. et al. (1986). Crop Production. Ed. Vavilov P. P. 5th ed., revised and enlarged. Moscow: Agropromizdat.
2. Kolomeichenko V. V. (2007). Crop Production/Textbook. Moscow: Agrobiznestsentr.