Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Turnip
View on Wikipedia
| Turnip | |
|---|---|
| Turnip roots | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Brassicaceae |
| Genus: | Brassica |
| Species: | |
| Variety: | B. r. var. rapa
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Brassica rapa var. rapa | |
The turnip or white turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, fleshy taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock. The name turnip – used in many regions – may also be used to refer to rutabaga (or neep or swede), which is a different but related vegetable.[1]
Etymology
[edit]The origin of the word turnip is uncertain, though it is hypothesised that it could be a compound of turn as in turned/rounded on a lathe and neep, derived from Latin napus, the word for the plant. According to An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, turn refers to "round napus to distinguish it from the napi, which were generally long".[2]
Description
[edit]
The most common type of turnip is mostly white-skinned, apart from the upper 1 to 6 centimetres (1⁄2 to 2+1⁄2 inches), 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.[citation needed] The interior flesh is entirely white. The root is roughly globular, from 5–20 cm (2–8 in) in diameter, and lacks side roots. Underneath, the taproot (the normal root below the swollen storage root) is thin and 10 cm (4 in) or more in length; it is often trimmed off before the vegetable is sold. The leaves grow directly from the above-ground shoulder of the root, with little or no visible crown or neck (as found in rutabagas).[citation needed]
Turnip leaves are sometimes eaten as "turnip greens" ("turnip tops" in the UK), and they resemble mustard greens (to which they are closely related) in flavor. Turnip greens are a common side dish in southeastern U.S. cooking, primarily during late fall and winter. Smaller leaves are preferred. Varieties of turnip grown specifically for their leaves resemble mustard greens and have small roots. These include rapini (broccoli rabe), bok choy, and Chinese cabbage. Similar to raw cabbage or radish, turnip leaves and roots have a pungent flavor that becomes milder after cooking.[citation needed]
Turnip roots weigh up to 1 kilogram (2 pounds), although they are usually harvested when smaller. Size is partly a function of variety and partly a function of the length of time a turnip has grown.
Nutrition
[edit]| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 84 kJ (20 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4.4 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 0.5 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 3.5 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.2 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1.1 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 93.2 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lutein | 8440 µg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[3] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[4] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 92 kJ (22 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5.1 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 3.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 2.0 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.1 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.7 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 93.6 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[3] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[4] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Boiled green leaves of the turnip top ("turnip greens") provide 84 kilojoules (20 kilocalories) of food energy in a reference serving of 100 grams (3+1⁄2 oz), and are 93% water, 4% carbohydrates, and 1% protein, with negligible fat (table). The boiled greens are a rich source (more than 20% of the Daily Value, DV) particularly of vitamin K (350% DV), with vitamin A, vitamin C, and folate also in significant content (30% DV or greater, table). Boiled turnip greens also contain substantial lutein (8440 micrograms per 100 g).
In a 100-gram reference amount, boiled turnip root supplies 92 kJ (22 kcal), with only vitamin C in a moderate amount (14% DV). Other micronutrients in boiled turnip are in low or negligible content (table). Boiled turnip is 94% water, 5% carbohydrates, and 1% protein, with negligible fat.
History
[edit]Wild forms of the turnip and its relatives, the mustards and radishes, are found over western Asia and Europe. Starting as early as 2000 BCE, related oilseed subspecies of Brassica rapa like oleifera may have been domesticated several times from the Mediterranean to India, though these are not the same turnips cultivated for their roots.[5] Previous estimates of domestication dates are limited to linguistic analyses of plant names.[6]
Edible turnips were first domesticated in Central Asia several thousand years ago, supported by genetic studies of both wild and domesticated varieties showing Central Asian varieties are the most genetically diverse crops.[7] Ancient literary references to turnips in Central Asia, and the existence of words for 'turnip' in ancestral languages of the region, also support the turnip as the original domesticated form of Brassica rapa subsp. rapa.[7] It later spread to Europe and East Asia with farmers in both areas later selecting for larger leaves; it subsequently became an important food in the Hellenistic and Roman world.[5] Among Jews in antiquity, the turnip was regarded as a food of the poor, to the extent that the Talmud declares, "Woe to the house in which the turnip passes". Rabbinic sources further observe that turnips were consumed in various forms, "fresh, boiled, or ground," and that their flavor was enhanced when cooked with meat.[8] The turnip later spread to China, and reached Japan by 700 CE.[5]
Turnips were an important crop in the cuisine of Antebellum America. They were grown for their greens as well as the roots, and could yield edible greens within a few weeks of planting, making them a staple of new plantations still in the process of becoming productive. They could be planted as late as the fall and still provide newly arrived settlers with a source of food. The typical southern way of cooking turnip greens was to boil them with a chunk of salt pork. The broth obtained from this process was known as pot likker and was served with crumbled corn pone, often made from coarse meal when little else was available along the antebellum frontier.[9]
Cultivation
[edit]The 1881 American Household Cyclopedia advises that turnips can be grown in fields that have been harrowed and ploughed. It recommends planting in late May or June and weeding and thinning with a hoe throughout the summer.[10]
As a root crop, turnips grow best in cool weather; hot temperatures cause the roots to become woody and bad-tasting. They are typically planted in the spring in cold-weather climates (such as the northern US and Canada) where the growing season is only 3–4 months. In temperate climates (ones with a growing season of 5–6 months), turnips may also be planted in late summer for a second fall crop. In warm-weather climates (7 or more month growing season), they are planted in the fall. 55–60 days is the average time from planting to harvest.[citation needed]

Turnips are a biennial plant, taking two years from germination to reproduction. The root spends the first year growing and storing nutrients, and the second year flowers, produces seeds, and dies. The flowers of the turnip are tall and yellow, with the seeds forming in pea-like pods. In areas with less than seven-month growing seasons, temperatures are too cold for the roots to survive the winter. To produce seeds, pulling the turnips and storing them over winter is necessary, taking care not to damage the leaves. During the spring, they may be set back in the ground to complete their lifecycle.[11]: 98
-
Turnip flowers
-
A bundle of Tokyo turnips
Relevance in human use
[edit]In England around 1700, Charles "Turnip" Townshend promoted the use of turnips in a four-year crop-rotation system that enabled year-round livestock feeding.[12]
In Scottish and some other English dialects, the word turnip can also refer to rutabagas (North American English), also known as swedes in England, a variety of Brassica napus, which is a hybrid between the turnip, Brassica rapa, and the cabbage. Turnips are generally smaller with white flesh, while rutabagas are larger with yellow flesh. Scottish English sometimes distinguishes turnips as white turnips, and sometimes distinguishes rutabagas as neeps.
In the Austrian region of Wildschönau, farmers produce a kind of schnaps called Krautinger from a variation of Brassica rapa ssp. Rapa, since they were granted permission to do so under Empress Maria Theresia in the 18th century.[13] It is notorious for its distinct taste and smell.
Heraldry
[edit]
The turnip is an old vegetable charge in heraldry. It was used by Leonhard von Keutschach, prince-archbishop of Salzburg. The turnip is still the heart shield in the arms of Keutschach am See.[14]
The arms of the former municipality of Kiikala, Finland, were Gules, a turnip Or.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ Smillie, Susan (25 January 2010). "Are 'neeps' swedes or turnips?". The Guardian.
- ^ "An universal etymological English dictionary". Internet Archive. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
- ^ a b United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
- ^ a b "TABLE 4-7 Comparison of Potassium Adequate Intakes Established in This Report to Potassium Adequate Intakes Established in the 2005 DRI Report". p. 120. In: Stallings, Virginia A.; Harrison, Meghan; Oria, Maria, eds. (2019). "Potassium: Dietary Reference Intakes for Adequacy". Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. pp. 101–124. doi:10.17226/25353. ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. NCBI NBK545428.
- ^ a b c Sanderson, Helen (2005). Prance, Ghillean; Nesbitt, Mark (eds.). The Cultural History of Plants. Routledge. p. 72. ISBN 0415927463.
- ^ Zohary, Daniel; Hopf, Maria; Weiss, Ehud (2012). Domestication of plants in the Old World : the origin and spread of domesticated plants in Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean Basin (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 139. ISBN 9780199549061.
- ^ a b McAlvay, Alex C.; Ragsdale, Aaron P.; Mabry, Makenzie E.; Qi, Xinshuai; Bird, Kevin A.; Velasco, Pablo; An, Hong; Pires, J. Chris; Emshwiller, Eve (30 April 2021). "Brassica rapa domestication: untangling wild and feral forms and convergence of crop morphotypes". Molecular Biology and Evolution. 38 (8): 3358–3372. doi:10.1093/molbev/msab108. PMC 8321528. PMID 33930151 – via Oxford Academic.
- ^ Broshi, Magen (2001). Bread, Wine, Walls and Scrolls. The Library of Second Temple Studies. London: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. pp. 130–131. ISBN 978-1-84127-201-6.
- ^ Sam Bowers Hilliard, Hog Meat and Hoecake: Food Supply in the Old South, 1840–1860 (2014).
- ^ "Household Cyclopedia of 1881". Matthew Spong. 1881.
- ^ Greene, Wesley (2012). "Turnip". Vegetable Gardening the Colonial Williamsburg Way. Rodale. pp. 95–98. ISBN 978-1609611620.
Turnips are biennial plants that must pass through a winter season to form flowers and seed... In colder regions, they must be dug and stored for winter and replanted in spring.
- ^ Ashton, T S (1948). The Industrial Revolution. A Galaxy Book (Third printing, 1965 ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 21.
- ^ "Wildschönauer Krautinger".
- ^ Schmöger, M. (2010-01-27). "Keutschach am See, Carinthia (Austria)". CRW Flags - Flags of the World (website) - Vexillology. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
Blazoning of arms ... on an inescutcheon Sable a turnip Argent with three leaves Vert.
- ^ Hartemink, Ralf. "Kiikala". Heraldry Wiki. Archived from the original on 2022-10-23. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
Official blazon (Finnish): Punaisessa kentässä kultainen nauris
External links
[edit]Turnip
View on GrokipediaTaxonomy and Nomenclature
Etymology
The English word "turnip" first appeared around 1530 as "turnep" or "turnepe," likely a compound formed from "turn," referring to the rounded shape of the root as if turned on a lathe, and "nepe" or "nep," an earlier term for the vegetable derived from Latin nāpus, meaning turnip or rape.[5][6] This etymology is supported by Nathan Bailey's An Universal Etymological English Dictionary (1721), which explains "turn" as distinguishing the round napus from the generally long napi.[7] Linguistically, the root traces back further to Old English nǣp or nēp (Anglian dialect), borrowed directly from Latin nāpus, a term used by classical authors like Pliny the Elder for the plant.[8] By Middle English, this evolved into "nepe," but the full compound "turnip" emerged to specify the bulbous variety. The Latin nāpus also influenced Romance languages, such as French navet, a diminutive of Old French nef or navet, entering English usage indirectly through Norman influences after the 1066 Conquest.[9] In Scottish and northern English dialects, "neep" persists as a synonym for turnip, preserving the older form.[8] Related terms highlight distinctions within the Brassica genus. The turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) contrasts with the "rutabaga," a larger relative (Brassica napus), whose name derives from Swedish dialectal rotabagge (circa 1799 in English), combining rot ("root," from Proto-Indo-European wrād-, meaning branch or root) and bagge ("bag" or "lump," akin to "bag").[10] This Swedish term, meaning "root bag" or "baggy root," reflects the vegetable's swollen form and underscores etymological divergence from the turnip's Latin-derived name, avoiding confusion with other Brassica species like rape or cabbage.Taxonomy and Classification
The turnip belongs to the family Brassicaceae, genus Brassica, species Brassica rapa L., and specifically the subspecies Brassica rapa subsp. rapa (Metzg.), which is cultivated primarily for its edible root. This subspecies is distinguished from others within B. rapa, such as subsp. oleifera (DC.) Metzg., which is grown for oilseed production as turnip rape. The classification reflects the plant's position in the order Brassicales and its close relation to other cruciferous vegetables.[11][12] Phylogenetically, Brassica rapa traces its origins to wild populations in Central Asia, particularly the Hindu Kush mountain region near present-day Afghanistan, where domestication began around 3,500 to 6,000 years ago through human selection for diverse traits. Genetic diversity studies reveal that wild B. rapa forms underwent independent domestication events across Eurasia, leading to convergent evolution in crop morphotypes like root, leaf, and seed types, with reduced genetic variation in cultivated lines compared to feral or wild relatives.[13][14] In the broader Brassica taxonomy, B. rapa (with its AA genome) is a key progenitor in the "triangle of U" model, which illustrates the allotetraploid origins of major crops through hybridization and genome duplication. It contributes the A genome to species such as Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. (AABB, Indian mustard) and Brassica napus L. (AACC, rapeseed), alongside B. oleracea L. (CC) and B. nigra (L.) W.D.J. Koch (BB). Subspecies variations in B. rapa—including subsp. rapa for roots, subsp. chinensis (L.) Hanelt for leafy greens like bok choy, and subsp. pekinensis (Lour.) Hanelt for Chinese cabbage—demonstrate adaptive genetic divergence driven by regional cultivation pressures.[15][14] B. rapa exhibits hybridization potential with related diploids like B. nigra, facilitating gene flow and the polyphyletic origins of allotetraploids such as B. juncea via interspecific crosses, as evidenced by chloroplast and nuclear DNA analyses. This capability underscores the genus's evolutionary plasticity but also raises concerns for gene introgression in agricultural settings.[16]Botanical Characteristics
Morphology
The turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) is a biennial herb characterized by an upright growth habit, forming a basal rosette of leaves in the first year before developing a flowering stem in the second year.[17][18] It typically reaches heights of 30–120 cm, with erect stems that are simple or branched in the upper half and may be hairless or sparsely covered in soft hairs.[18] The plant features a prominent white taproot that swells into a globular or tuberous storage organ, measuring 5–20 cm in diameter, composed of hypocotyl and root tissues with secondary growth from the vascular cambium.[19][20] The upper portion of the root often exhibits purple or red pigmentation due to anthocyanin accumulation, while the interior remains white and fleshy.[21] Leaves form a basal rosette, measuring 10–40 cm in length, with pinnately lobed or divided edges, a large central lobe, and smaller side lobes; they are glabrous or finely hairy, yellowish-green, and wavy-margined, resembling those of mustard plants but with more pronounced lobing.[17][18][20] Flowers are bright yellow, cruciform with four petals 6–13 mm long, arranged in terminal racemes, and the plant is self-incompatible, relying on insect pollination.[17][18] Fruits develop as linear siliques, 3–8 cm long and 2–4 mm wide, containing 8–15 seeds per locule for a total of 16–30 small, oval, reticulate seeds that are yellow to dark brown.[18] As a cool-season crop, the turnip completes root development in 55–60 days from sowing, with harvest occurring when the swollen taproot reaches maturity.[22][23] In its biennial life cycle, the first year is dedicated to vegetative growth and storage root formation, followed by bolting and seed production in the second year after vernalization.[17][20]Varieties and Cultivars
Turnip varieties are broadly categorized into root-focused and leaf-focused types, with selections emphasizing tenderness, size, and storage quality for culinary or forage use. Root-focused cultivars, such as the white-fleshed 'Purple Top White Globe', produce small, globe-shaped roots measuring 2 to 3 inches in diameter with purple shoulders and white flesh, ideal for fresh human consumption due to their mild flavor and tender texture.[1] Larger varieties like the yellow-fleshed 'Golden Ball' or 'Yellow Globe' develop 3- to 4-inch amber roots suitable for long-term storage, offering a sweet, non-woody interior that resists pithiness even at maturity.[24] These white- and yellow-fleshed groups represent primary divisions in turnip root cultivars, with white types dominating European selections and yellow ones valued for their color and flavor retention.[25] Leaf-focused varieties prioritize abundant, mild greens over root development, often yielding harvests in 30 to 40 days. Cultivars like 'Seven Top' and 'Shogoin' produce tall plants with broad, tender leaves high in vitamins, commonly grown for greens in both home and commercial settings, though their roots remain small and secondary.[19] 'Shogoin', a traditional Japanese type, features fine-grained white roots alongside its foliage, making it versatile for dual harvest, while 'Alltop' focuses almost exclusively on tops with minimal root formation.[26] Asian selections such as 'Hakurei' emphasize salad-quality roots that are crisp and buttery, with flat to round shapes adapted for quick cooking or raw use.[19] Turnips exhibit regional adaptations, with European varieties typically featuring white-fleshed, globe-shaped roots suited to cooler climates, contrasting Asian types like 'Shogoin' that form larger, flatter roots resilient in warmer conditions.[25] This distinction often leads to confusion with rutabaga (Brassica napus), a related but distinct species with larger, yellow-fleshed roots and a cross between turnip and cabbage.[19] Breeding efforts for turnips have emphasized hybrid vigor and disease resistance since the early 20th century, transitioning from heirloom open-pollinated types like 'Purple Top White Globe' to modern F1 hybrids developed by private seed companies.[25] Japanese breeders have pioneered F1 hybrid white turnips with improved uniformity and yield, while global programs select for resistance to clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae), incorporating dominant genes from resistant landraces into elite lines for sustainable cultivation.[27] For instance, European fodder turnips like ECD04 have been bred for multiple clubroot pathotypes through marker-assisted selection, enhancing field performance without yield penalties.[28]Nutritional Profile
Composition
Turnip roots and greens are low-calorie vegetables with high water content and a composition dominated by carbohydrates and fiber, alongside notable micronutrients and bioactive compounds. The roots consist primarily of water, approximately 92% by weight, which contributes to their crisp texture and low energy density.[29] Turnip greens, similarly, are about 90% water, supporting their role as a hydrating leafy green. Both parts contain negligible amounts of fat (0.1 g per 100 g) and no cholesterol, making them suitable for low-fat diets.[30] The macronutrient profile of boiled turnip roots provides 22 kcal per 100 g, with 5.1 g of carbohydrates (including 1.8 g of dietary fiber), 0.7 g of protein, and minimal fat.[31] Raw turnip greens offer 32 kcal per 100 g, comprising 7.13 g of carbohydrates (with 3.2 g of fiber), 1.5 g of protein, and 0.3 g of fat.[30] These values reflect the vegetables' status as nutrient-dense yet energy-light foods, with fiber aiding digestive health. Nutritional data per USDA FoodData Central (accessed 2025).| Nutrient (per 100 g) | Boiled Turnip Roots | Raw Turnip Greens |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 22 kcal | 32 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 5.1 g | 7.13 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.8 g | 3.2 g |
| Protein | 0.7 g | 1.5 g |
| Total Fat | 0.1 g | 0.3 g |
