How to prevent and control branched roots and cracked roots in white radish?
How to prevent and control branched roots and cracked roots in white radish? Please advise on the causes of branched roots and cracked roots in white radish and the prevention of deformed roots such as forked and crooked fleshy roots, as well as cracking of the fleshy root forming cracked roots, which are common phenomena in production and important problems affecting yield and quality. The radish fleshy root has lateral roots on both sides, and under...
How to prevent and control branched roots and cracked roots in white radish? Please advise
The causes of branched roots and cracked roots in white radish and the prevention of deformed roots such as forked and crooked fleshy roots, as well as cracking of the fleshy root forming cracked roots, are common phenomena in production and important problems affecting yield and quality. The radish fleshy root has lateral roots on both sides, and under normal cultivation conditions these lateral roots do not swell. But under special conditions, the lateral roots can swell, and the result of swelling forms two or more forks. When the plough layer is too shallow, the downward growth of the fleshy root is blocked, causing the fleshy root to bend or become deformed.
1. Soil conditions: When the soil contains stones, bricks and tiles and other hard objects, or when rubbish fertiliser mixed with plastic film, glass and other items is applied, the normal elongation and swelling of the taproot is hindered. During the elongation process of the fleshy root, when the main root encounters the above substances, its elongation is blocked, causing the lateral roots to swell and form forks or bends. The swelling of the radish main root requires good soil aeration and high oxygen content. If during the fleshy root swelling period the irrigation amount is too large or the soil water content is too high, aeration is poor, and combined with physical compression, all of these will inhibit the thickening of the main root, while when the soil aeration conditions improve slightly in the late stage of fleshy root swelling, the lateral roots swell, forming "beard-like" lateral roots. Under conditions such as soil compaction, too shallow a plough layer, and heavy clay soil texture, the normal swelling of the fleshy root is also hindered, causing forked roots or bending. In general, long varieties produce a greater proportion of deformed roots than short varieties.
2. Fertilisation conditions: Applying large amounts of undecomposed compost, livestock manure and urine and other organic fertilisers in radish fields, or topdressing urea, ammonium bicarbonate and other chemical fertilisers at too high a concentration, also easily causes deformed roots. This is because when the tip of the radish taproot encounters fermenting compost, livestock urine at higher concentration, or chemical fertilisers, it often dies, breaks off, or has its growth inhibited and cannot continue to elongate, while the lateral roots swell in its place to form forked roots or crooked roots. In addition, during the fleshy root swelling period, topdressing too much nitrogen fertiliser causes excessive leaf growth, which is unfavourable to the swelling of the fleshy root and also easily causes the lateral roots to swell or the main root to bend, forming forked roots or crooked roots.
3. Temperature conditions: Spring radish is generally sown from November to April of the following year, which coincides with winter and spring, when both air temperature and ground temperature are low. In particular, below 15 cm in the plough layer it is very difficult to raise the ground temperature artificially. With continuous irrigation, soil porosity decreases, the soil layer becomes compact, and frozen soil layers easily form, causing poor downward penetration of the main root after the radish splits open, affecting the swelling of the middle and lower parts of the fleshy root and forming deformed roots. Therefore, one month before sowing, first cover with greenhouse film to build up warmth, deep-plough the plough layer to conserve moisture, and after sowing water thoroughly and cover with plastic film. This can resolve the conflict between water and temperature and ensure normal growth of spring radish.
4. Soil pests and others: If underground pests in the soil bite the tip of the radish seedling root and inhibit the growth of the taproot, this will also cause the lateral roots to swell, producing forks or deformities. Improper cultivation management can also cause deformation of the fleshy root. For example, in some varieties with large fleshy roots, sparse planting is more prone to forking and bending than dense planting. In management, injuring one side of the hypocotyl of the seedling often forms mildly crooked roots, and so on. The main measures to prevent deformed roots: the cultivation plot should be chosen as deep soil, free of gravel, bricks and tiles and other hard objects, and well-drained sandy loam; deep ploughing and fine harrowing, careful land preparation, and removal of waste agricultural film; fertilisation should be uniform, organic fertiliser should be fully decomposed, and topdressing of chemical fertiliser should be moderate; irrigation should be appropriate, not causing waterlogging or soil compaction; thinning, intertillage, weeding and other operations should be done carefully, not causing mechanical injury to the seedlings; and soil underground pests should be controlled in good time, with soil insecticides applied before sowing.
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