Rutabaga

Article By:

Carew, H. John Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.

Last reviewed:August 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.596400

The plant Brassica napobrassica (also Brassica napus var. napobrassica), a cool-season, hardy biennial crucifer of European origin, belonging to the order Capparales and probably resulting from the natural crossing of cabbage and turnip. The rutabaga (see illustration) has smooth nonhairy leaves and 38 chromosomes; this is in contrast to the turnip, which has rough hairy leaves and 20 chromosomes. Propagation of rutabagas is by seed, commonly sown in early summer. The fleshy roots are cooked and eaten mashed as a vegetable. Rutabagas, also known as Swedish turnips or swedes, have been widely grown as a livestock feed in northern Europe and eastern Canada. Popular yellow-fleshed varieties (cultivars) are Laurentian and American Purple Top; a leading white variety is Macomber. Rutabagas have a high requirement for boron. High temperatures cause misshapen root growth. Commercial production is limited to Canada and the northern part of the United States. Harvesting generally begins after frost and when the roots are 10–15 cm (4–6 in.) in diameter, commonly 90–100 days after planting. Clubroot (a disease that is caused by a soilborne fungus, Plasmodiophora brassicae, in which roots become enlarged and deformed, leading to plant death) and the root maggot insect are the most common problems. Other diseases of cabbage and turnips also can affect rutabagas. See also: Cabbage; Capparales; Plant pathology; Turnip

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