Variety traits

Rutabaga root cracking

Brassica napus L. var. napobrassica (L.) Rchb.

A quality defect in rutabaga caused by physiological changes in the root structure due to sharp fluctuations in soil moisture. The presence of cracks is a critical indicator that lowers the market grade and impairs storage potential due to the risk of disease infection.

In the reference 5 varieties crop Rutabaga, where this is mentioned in the description.

Expert organoleptic assessment is used to evaluate rutabaga cracking, as there are no specialized quantitative scales in variety testing methodologies. According to regulatory documentation, in particular RST RSFSR 745-88, the presence of cracks is a determining criterion for marketability. Depending on the condition of the damage, suberized (healed) defects, which may be permitted by standards, and non-suberized cracks, which classify the root as non-standard produce, are distinguished.

The main physiological cause of rutabaga cracking is considered to be sharp fluctuations in soil moisture during the growing season; boron availability may also influence the risk of tissue deformation. Damaged roots are characterized by low storage quality, as pathogens of rot diseases penetrate the tissue through the cracks. A stable irrigation regime is recognized as the key agrotechnical measure for the prevention of this phenomenon.

General information about the subject — on the page Fruit cracking.

Sources7

Varieties of Rutabaga mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.