Horticulture :: Vegetables :: Radish

Horticulture :: Vegetables :: Radish

Radish
Raphanus sativus L
Brassicaceae

Varieties
Hills
White Icicle, Scarlet globe, Rapid Red White Tipped

Plains
Co 1, Pusa Rashmi, Pusa Chetki, Pusa Desi, Japanese White and Arka Nishant are popular varieties.

Soil
Sandy loam soils with high organic matter content are highly suited for radish cultivation. The highest yield can be obtained at a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.8. Roots of best size, flavour and texture are developed at about 15°C.

Season of sowing
June –July in hills and September in plains are best suied.

Seed rate
About 10 kg/ha seeds are required.

Preparation of field
The land should be prepared to fine tilth and levelled.

Spacing
15 x 10 cm spacing is normally adopted.

Irrigation
Plains
Irrigation is done once in a week

Drip irrigation
Install the drip system with main and sub-main pipes and place the inline lateral tubes at an interval of 1.5. Place the dripper in lateral tubes at an interval of 60cm and 50cm spacing with 4LPH and 3.5 LPH capacities respectively. Form the raised beds at 120 cm width at an interval of 30cm and place the laterals at the centre of each bed.

Application of fertilizers
Plains
Apply FYM at 25 t/ha and 25 kg N, 100 kg P and 50 kg K/ha as basal dressing and 25 kg N/ha after 30 days.

Fertigation
Fertigation requirement :50:100:50kg of NPK / ha. Apply once in three days
Spacing : 30x15x10 cm in paired row system. A total of 10 rows is accommodated in one bed.

Fertigation schedule
Recommended Dose: 50:100:50 kg/ha                     100% of TRD: 50: 25: 50 NPK kg/ha

Stage	Crop stage	Duration in days	Fertilizer grade	Total fertilizer (kg/ha)	Nutrient supplied			% requirement
					N	P	K	N	P	K
1	Vegetative stage	15	19:19:19 + MN 13-0-45 Urea (46% N)	40 5.5 4.0	7.5 0.7 1.8	7.5 - -	7.5 2.5 -	20	7.50	20
			Subtotal		10	7.5	10
2	Early root development stage	20	19:19:19 + MN 13-0-45 Urea (46% N)	66 28 20	12.5 3.6 8.9	12.5 - -	12.5 12.5 -	50	12.50	50
			Subtotal		25	12.5	25
3	Root maturity stage	10	19:19:19 + MN 13-0-45 Urea (46% N)	26 22 16	5.0 2.9 7.1	5.0 - -	5.0 10.0 -	30	5.0	30
			Subtotal		15	5	15
	Total duration	45			50	25	50	100	25	100

75% RD of Phosphorous applied as super phosphate = 500kg /ha.
1. 19:19:19 = 125 kg / ha
2. 13:0:45 = 50 kg / ha
3. Urea = 50 kg / ha

After cultivation
Weeding and hoeing can be done as and when necessary. At the second weeding, thinning of densely sown plants should be done.

Plant protection
Pests
Aphids, flea beetles and mustard saw fly
Aphids, flea beetles and mustard saw fly can be controlled by spraying Malathion 50 EC 1 ml/lit twice or thrice at 10 days intervals.

Diseases
White rust
White rust can be controlled by spraying Mancozeb 2 g/lit or Copper oxychloride 2 g/lit.

Yield
About 20 – 30 t/ha in 45 – 60 days can be obtained.

Market Information

Crop Growing districts	:	Vellore, Dindigul, Thanjavur, Nilgris
Major markets in Tamil Nadu	:	Mettupalayam, Dindigul, Coimbatore and Chennai
Grade Specification	:	Size, Shape