Development of hybrids and hybrid seed production in root vegetables

Singh BK. 2016. Development of hybrids and hybrid seed production in root vegetables. In: Principles and Production Techniques of Hybrid Seeds in Vegetables (Singh B, Pandey S, Singh N, Manimurugan C, Devi J and Singh PM Eds). Training Manual No.  67, ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi, UP, pp 126-142.

Root vegetables include a number of crops which are grown for their enlarged, edible storage root. They are hardy, cool-season crops with a long storage life. They are actually storage organs that are enlarged to store energy in the form of carbohydrates. The major root vegetables grown are grouped by family, include (A) Brassicaceae (crucifer family): radish (Raphanus sativus), turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa), rutabaga (B. napus subsp. napobrassica) and horse radish (Armoracia rusticana); (B) Apiaceae (carrot family): carrot (Daucus carota) and parsnip (Pastinaca sativa); (C) Chenopodiaceae (goosefoot family): beet root (Beta vulgaris); and Asteraceae (sunflower family): Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) and salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius). Although they belong to several unrelated plants and very different botanically, these crops share similar cultural requirements such as weather, soil type and cultural practices. In India, the area, production and productivity of radish and carrot is 1.73 lakh ha, 24.85 lakh ton and 14.34 t/ha, and 0.63 lakh ha, 10.74 lakh ton and 17.20 t/ha, respectively.

RADISH (Raphanus sativus L.)

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is an important salad vegetable grown and consumed throughout the world for fleshy edible roots which are eaten as crunchy salad, cooked or preserved by salting, pickling, canning and drying. Radish has numerous categories– varying in colour, size, shape and flavour of root; period of maturity; leaf colour and morphology; and vernalization requirement. The uses of coloured radishes in the salads and their anthocyanins as colorants are gaining popularity because of the colour characteristics, health benefits as well as antioxidant activities (Singh et al. 2016). There are quick-growing spring type radishes (25-30 days) and slow-growing summer and winter radishes (40-55 days). In India, summer/winter radishes are grown in one or the other parts of the country almost throughout the year because of the varied climatic conditions, cultivars, economic importance and demand. However, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Assam, Haryana, Gujarat, HP and Himachal Pradesh are major radish producing states. It is grown for its thickened fleshy and tender roots for salad or cooked vegetable, and also young soft leaves are consumed as leafy greens. Radish has a unique pungent flavour due to the presence of sulphur containing volatile compounds i.e. isothiocyanates. The modified root (fusiform) develops from both hypocotyls and primary root (Figure 1). Mostly radish leaves are lyrate (deeply pinnate) or sinuate (entire leaf margin) or intermediate forms which form a basal rosette.

CARROT (Daucus carota L.)

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) ), belongs to family Apiaceae,  is an important nutritious salad vegetable grown and consumed throughout the world for fleshy edible roots which are eaten as crunchy salad; used to prepare juice, sweet and halwa; cooked with mixed vegetables or preserved by salting, pickling, canning and drying. Carrot has numerous categories of roots varying in colour, shape, size and flavour. The root colour varied from white to black colour; but orange, red, black and yellow carrots are most popular and of commercial importance worldwide across all the climates ranging from temperate to tropical conditions. Mostly orange roots are used for table and frozen purposes; red for table, juice, halwa and pickle making; and black carrots for colour extraction and preparation of a beverage called kanji which is supposed to be good appetizer. Carrots are rich sources of α- and β-carotene (orange carrot), lycopene (red carrot), anthocyanin (black/purple carrot), and xanthophylls (yellow carrot). They are also good sources of carbohydrates, minerals and dietary fibre; and are becoming more popular because of the neutracitical values, colour characteristics, health benefits as well as antioxidant capacity. Carrots probably originated in Afghanistan and around Northwest India. Its cultivation for medicinal purposes began 2000 to 3000 years ago. They were used for numerous medicinal purposes including stomach ulcers, abscesses, bladder, liver and kidney problems, to aid in child birth and even as aphrodisiacs. Cultivation of roots for consumption dates back to 6^th century when purple rooted was grown in the area of Afghanistan. The black and yellow types were eventually evolved and produced in Afganistan, Turkey and Middle East areas during 10^th century; and finally white and orange types were evolved in the Europe and Middle East during 17^th century. Moreover, red carrots are evolved in India, Japan and China during 18^th century.

References

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