Turnip and Swede Production

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 87, Issue 3, 15 September 1953, Page 235

Turnip and Swede Production

Seasonal Notes by the Extension Division 'T'HE area of turnips and swedes sown annually is -*■ approximately 350,000 acres, and these roots occupy a larger area than any other crop grown in New Zealand. Though most of the area devoted to them is in the Otago and Southland districts, turnips and swedes are also important in other parts of the South Island and also in a large part of the North Island.

GOVERNMENT APPROVED SEED

NEW ZEALAND grown Government approved seed of the following varieties of turnips and swedes is being distributed for sowing in the 1953-54 season:— Yellow-fleshed Turnips N.Z. Purple Top Yellow N.Z. Green Resistant N.Z. Purple Resistant N.Z. Victory Yellow N.Z. Waites Eclipse N.Z. Champion Hybrid N.Z. Green Top Yellow ' White-fleshed Turnips N.Z. Green Globe N.Z. Purple Globe. N.Z. Red Globe N.Z. York Globe Swedes N.Z. Superlative N.Z. Wilhelmsburger N.Z. Grandmaster N.Z. Sensation N.Z. Crimson King N.Z. Calder All lines of Government approved seed being distributed to retailers this year are identified by the letter K branded on the calico packets and have a germination of 88 per cent, or better.

TURNIPS IN NORTH ISLAND

In the North Island white-fleshed or “soft turnips” are a useful crop on dairy farms to provide summer and early-autumn supplementary feed, and their production fits in admirably' with a pasture renewal programme, as they leave the land in good condition for early-autumn pasture sowing. A succession of varieties sown in October and November will provide feed from the middle of January to the end of March. The varieties recommended for this purpose are N.Z. Green Globe, N.Z. Purple Globe, and N.Z. Red Globe. Yellow-fleshed turnips are not important in the North Island, as they require the cooler growing conditions of the south. The crop is best drilled in 7in. or 14in. rows with 8 to 12oz. of seed and 3cwt. of serpentine superphosphate per acre. If the seed is broadcast, 11b. is required with 5 to 6cwt. of phosphatic fertiliser. —E. B. GLANVILLE

WHITE-FLESHED TURNIPS IN SOUTH ISLAND

* * N.Z. Green Globe is the best available white-fleshed turnip variety for keeping qualities, as under conditions of reasonable fertility and not too heavy winter rainfall, the bulbs may be expected to keep in good condition for feeding off as late as the end of August. Under these conditions earlymaturing swedes have been fed off first and Green Globe used for later-winter feeding. On higher-fertility land flesh collapse is more probable, and consequently in such places this variety of turnip should be grown only for early feeding. N.Z. Purple Globe and N.Z. Red Globe develop more quickly than N.Z. Green Globe, but will not keep as well. Purple Globe and Red Globe are recommended for dry districts and poor types of soil. If sown as early as possible on stubble land, these varieties will provide winter feed, and if sown in the spring as a precaution against dry conditions in late summer and autumn, are useful varieties. These two varieties may be used to advantage on first-furrow land where development is being undertaken. N.Z. York Globe is a very quick-maturing variety of the class formerly known as stubble turnips and is very useful for autumn sowings where earlier sowings

have failed or with sowings to pasture. Sowing rates must vary according to the size of seed and the state of cultivation of the paddock and the time of sowing. Suggested rates are from 6 to lOoz. for 24in. ridges, from 8 to 12oz. for 14in. drills, from 10 to 14oz. for Tin. drills, and for broadcasting approximately 1 to IJlb. per acre; 2 to 2|cwt. per acre of reverted superphosphate should be sown with the seed. —R. W. BUSH

VELLOW-FLESHED TURNIPS

* * ' THE “Aberdeen” types of yellowfleshed turnips are noted for their hardiness and keeping quality, and consequently their greater’ use is advantageous where farmers at present rely solely on ■ swedes for late-winter feeding. N.Z. Purple Top Yellow and N.Z. Green Top Yellow are both classified as “Aberdeen” types, being hard and yellow fleshed. Though their production will not match that of the soft yellow turnips, the bulbs are much higher in dry matter content, and they are also superior in keeping quality. Unfortunately they have a tendency to grow well into the ground, this fault being accentuated by thick sowings, which restrict bulb development. Recent selection work, however, has reduced this tendency to some extent. The “Aberdeen” types require a cool climate and are . particularly suitable for districts which experience severe frosts, provided the soil fertility is reasonably high. For cases where club root is troublesome two resistant varieties of “Aberdeen” type are available, namely N.Z. Purple Resistant and N.Z. Green Resistant. Other types of yellow-fleshed turnips are softer fleshed than the “Aberdeen” types. They are grown most successfully under somewhat similar conditions, but their growth is more rapid. The bulbs develop larger than those of the harderfleshed types, but their keeping quality is inferior. The softer-fleshed types are preferred for feeding out to dairy cows in autumn. Varieties of softer yellow-fleshed turnips include: —

N.Z. Waites Eclipse, a purple-topped variety; N.Z. Victory Yellow, a green-topped variety; N.Z. Champion Hybrid, a green-topped variety with softer flesh than the other two varieties. Seeding rates for yellow-fleshed turnips depend on the suitability of the seed-bed and other factors which may affect germination, but a general recommendation is that 6 to Boz. per acre be used, when the seed is being sown in ridges. —A. R. RANKIN

SWEDES IN NORTH ISLAND

* * * THE area devoted to swede production in the North Island each year exceeds 60,000 acres, of which a good . proportion is concentrated- in the colder central districts, including the King Country and Rotorua districts. These crops are important in providing winter feed on sheep and cattle farms and on dairy farms. Swedes are used also as a pioneer crop in the breaking in of country that has reverted (as in the King Country) and are commonly used also in the course of replacement of worn-out pastures by new ones. The crop does best on soils that are naturally well drained yet well supplied with moisture in summer and contain a good supply of organic material. Except for the pumice soils, most of the soils of the central area provide these requirements. On pumice soils a period in pasture is necessary for the accumulation of sufficient humus to meet the demands of the swede crop, and sometimes a sowing of Italian ryegrass, red clover, and cocksfoot is established for a few years on raw pumice soils before the sowing of the swede crop and the establishment of permanent pasture. '

To an increasing extent, particularly in the more settled districts and where a second crop of winter fodder is required, mixed crops of swedes and chou moellier are being grown. If the swedes fail through disease, chou moellier is relied on to provide a fairly good supply of fodder. Ploughing for the swede crop should begin about August-September and the land left to lie fallow until about late October, when discing and harrowing can be carried out. The seed may be drilled at about 12oz. per acre with 3cwt. of serpentine superphosphate. If the seed is sown broadcast, about lib. is required per acre and heavier applications of fertiliser are also needed. Common varieties grown in the North Island are N.Z. Superlative, N.Z. Grandmaster, and N.Z. Crimson King. —C. R. TAYLOR

SWEDES IN SOUTH ISLAND

* * * SWEDES are important in South Island farm practice and about 100,000 acres are grown ' annually. Superlative, Grandmaster, Crimson King, Sensation, Calder, and Wilhelmsburger are the six New Zealand varieties of which Government approved seed is available and which are sufficient for most requirements. Superlative is the earliest maturing and should be fed off first. If kept too late in winter, it is prone to attack from diseases such as dry rot and bacterial soft rot. Grandmaster and Crimson King mature later and should therefore be used for later winter feeding. Sensation is a good keeping swede and may be expected to produce a gdod crop on lighter land. It is blight resistant and is therefore useful in dry districts where aphis damage may be expected. Calder is a New Zealand variety which was intended primarily for dry conditions; it has, in fact, proved more acceptable on farms in parts of Otago , and in Southland. Wilhelmsburger, a green-topped swede, has some resistance to, but is not immune from, club root and may be used for a second crop. The keeping qualities of this variety are extremely good; the flesh is compact and the bulbs are frequently smaller than those of the purple-topped varieties growing under similar conditions. Wilhelmsburger swedes require a long growing period and will produce a useful crop on most soil types provided there is sufficient, moisture. They should be fed off last. Ridging is general, but latesown crops may be put in on the flat. Seeding rates vary according to the state of cultivation and other conditions. About 8 to 12oz. per acre for ridging, and 1J to l|lb. per acre on the flat will usually be found sufficient. Sowing in late November or early December is recommended, and the scuffler should be used freely in ridged crops until the

leaf growth hampers its use. , —W. FAITHFUL

BORAX FOR BROWN HEART

* I * * BROWN heart in swedes may be controlled by applications of borax and treatment should be undertaken wherever borax deficiency is likely to occur. In southern districts. 15 to 201 b. per acre of borax (sodium bi-borate) is commonly broadcast a few days before sowing, with fertiliser or a light dressing of lime used as the spreader. Alternatively, with ridged crops, the mixture of borax (5 to 81b. per acre) and fertiliser is sown through the front sprouts of the ridger. Where, as in the North Island, it is common practice to mix and broadcast seed and fertiliser : an application of borax at 8 to 101 b. per acre is given a few days before sowing and with part of the fertiliser used as a spreader. Borated fertilisers are obtainable, and if registered, should contain not more than 2|lb. of sodium bi-borate per 1001 b. Not more than 3cwt. per acre of such fertilisers should be applied, as excessive boron may cause severe germination injury. As lime appears incompatible with brown heart control, liming immediately before sowing swedes should be avoided in districts where the disease is prevalent. , —W. F. LEONARD

SPRING PHOSPHATIC fOPDRESSING

THE aim of topdressing is to even out seasonal pasture growth and to increase grass growth in times of grass scarcity rather than in flush periods. Trials have shown that greater total results are secured by topdressing twice annually than by applying the fertiliser at one time. The periods of the year when pasture fails to grow sufficiently for stock requirements are winter, early spring, and summer. Autumn topdressing increases pasture growth in winter and early spring. An early-spring topdressing encourages spring growth and an application in November increases summer growth. The best times therefore for topdressing to even out pasture growth are March-April and November. In dairy farming where 4-cwt. or more of phosphatic fertiliser per acre per annum is applied all the farm can be topdressed in autumn with half the amount and in spring with the remainder. November is a busy time on dairy farms and it is not normally possible to topdress all the grazing area of the farm at this time. However, as much as possible of the area being grazed and particularly the aftermath of silage should be topdressed in November, but hay paddocks are usually harvested too late to obtain any benefit from a > similar dressing. New pasture sown in autumn, particularly on virgin soils, should receive an extra dressing of fertiliser in early spring. On sheep farms the only spring topdressing applicable is that of hay paddocks before < closing and paddocks in November for the finishing off of lambs. —N. A. CLARKE * * *

GRASS-WEED KILLERS

WITH few exceptions the grass-weed killers T.C.A. and I.P.C. have proved highly selective. Apart from their contact action, these chemicals do not adversely affect most species of broad-leafed plants. The contact action of T.C.A. is caused by the caustic nature of the chemical and that of the emulsifiable form of I.P.C. is due to .the aromatic solvent employed. The value of I.P.C. lies mainly in its use .in crops. T.C.A. has a much wider application, but because both chemicals have a contact action on the foliage of broad-leafed plants, their application to crops must be restricted to pre-emergence treatments. I.P.C. has proved to be more selective to legumes than has T.C.A., 'but species such as peas and established lucerne show sufficient tolerance to allow the, use of T.C.A. in the eradication of grasses in such crops. Potatoes and brassicas show a high tolerance to T.C.A. Spurrey, one of the worst weeds of brassicas in southern crops, is killed with 10 to 201 b. of T.C.A; per acre, and this chemical offers a means of control of this weed in brassica crops. Grass weeds show different tolerances to T.C.A., those grasses that are most difficult to eradicate by mechanical means being the most susceptible to this chemical. Thus rhizomatous grasses, couch, and various twitches are most susceptible, stdloniferous grasses such as kikuyu and buffalo grass offer more tolerance, and the fibrous-rooted grasses are mainly tolerant. The efficiency of T.C.A. is enhanced by prior cultivation. The most satisfactory method of eradicating weed grasses, particularly in cropping areas, is to plough, apply the T.C.A. to the upturned sod, cultivate, and sow a crop, such as brassicas, tolerant to T.C.A. This method gives excellent control of grass weeds without the need for a lengthy fallow. Seedling annual grasses are killed by light rates of application of T.C.A., these rates causing no damage to established fibrous-rooted perennial grasses. As demonstrated in trial work, annual grasses may be eliminated in pastures without damage to associated grass species -of value. Clovers also are not adversely affected by these light dressings.

—L. J. MATTHEWS