Table of contents:

All About The Radish. Part 1: What Is A Radish?
All About The Radish. Part 1: What Is A Radish?

Video: All About The Radish. Part 1: What Is A Radish?

Video: All About The Radish. Part 1: What Is A Radish?
Video: Yellow Pickled Radish (Danmuji:단무지) 2024, March
Anonim
  • Radish history
  • The value of the radish
  • Biological features of radish
  • The ratio of radish to growing conditions
  • Radish varieties

"How angry!" - we say, praising the spicy, juicy radish. Mustard oil, which makes it angry, is found in all root vegetables of the cabbage family, close relatives of mustard, - in tender radishes, and in sweet turnips, and in rutabagas, and even in cabbage itself. I must say that radish is more suitable for thrill-seekers.

Radish
Radish

Radish history

The history of the radish is lost in ancient times, even then its unique nutritional and medicinal benefits were known. In all likelihood, the homeland of this root crop is the countries of the Mediterranean Sea basin. This is evidenced by the materials of archaeological excavations and the monuments of written art that have come down to us. More than five thousand years ago, it was cultivated in Ancient Egypt, Babylon, Ancient Greece and Rome. Images of radish are found in Egyptian wall paintings. This indicates that it has been cultivated since time immemorial. Vegetable oil was made from radish seeds in Ancient Egypt, and food was prepared from the roots. By the way, the radish is mentioned among the vegetables along with garlic and onions, which were fed to the slaves during the construction of the pyramids. The Greeks already knew several varieties of radish and believed that it was better to eat it before lunch,as it aids in digestion. Moreover, our ancestors ate not only root crops, but also radish leaves. Avicenna noted that "spring radish leaves, when boiled and eaten with olive oil, are more nutritious than root vegetables."

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Radish came to the Russian land from Asia in ancient times. The proverb says about its meaning in the life of our people better than many words: "Seven changes, and everything is radish: tricha radish, chunk radish, radish with kvass, radish with butter, radish in slices, radish in cubes and whole radish." In Russia, it is grown in the central and northern regions in the open field. The famous gardener Efim Grachev, who has repeatedly received medals, once presented a radish more than half a meter long at an international exhibition. Such root vegetables are rare in our country. The largest radishes grow in Japan - up to 15 and even 30 kg. There is a different climate. But the Russian radish is inferior to the Japanese only in size, it is much sharper and "meaner" than it. And if the radish were good, it would not whet the appetite so much and, most importantly, would have lost its healing properties. In the old days it was called a penitential vegetable. Most of the radish was eaten during the days of repentance during the seven-week Great Lent, the longest and most painful of all Church fasts. They did not play weddings during Great Lent, they did not eat meat or butter, they did not drink milk - it was a sin. But it was not forbidden to eat vegetables. Lent falls in the spring, when there was no more fresh cabbage and turnips: they cannot be stored for a long time, and modern refrigeration units have not yet been invented. The radish was excellently preserved until May. She just pleasantly enlivened the insipid, monotonous lean menu. However, at any time of the year, on weekdays and holidays, radish was one of the most favorite snacks. As an indispensable component, it was used in the preparation of one of the most ancient Russian dishes - turi. The most ancient folk delicacy, ointment, was also prepared from radish. It was prepared like this:cut the root vegetable into thin slices and dried in the sun, then pounded, sifted through a sieve and, having received rare flour, boiled it in molasses until thickened, adding various spices there.

radish
radish

The value of the radish

In terms of chemical composition and content of nutrients, including biologically active ones, radish takes one of the first places among other vegetable crops. Radish root crops accumulate 10.5-13.0% of dry matter. In terms of fiber content (1.6-1.8%) among vegetables, it has no equal. The radish contains a lot of mono- and disaccharides (1.5-7.0%), it contains protein (1.6-2.5%), organic acids (0.1%). It contains a lot of vitamin C (8.3-69.8 mg per 100 g) - almost the same as in cabbage, there is a little provitamin A - carotene (0.02 mg per 100 g), as well as B vitamins: B1 (0.03 mg per 100 g), B2 (0.03 mg per 100 g), B6 (0.06 mg per 100 g), PP (0.06 mg per 100 g). Radish is rich in potassium (up to 357 mg per 100 g in white and 1119 mg per 100 g in black), iron in it - 1.2 mg per 100 g, there are plenty of calcium, sulfur and magnesium salts. In terms of the content of these substances, it ranks first among vegetable crops.

The abundance of vitamins and minerals in the radish improves appetite and aids digestion.

Among other useful compounds, the radish contains bactericidal substances - rafanol, katakol, phytoncides and others that inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Root crops contain thioglycollators, which have a bactericidal effect on harmful microflora. Radish is characterized by a large amount of essential oils (25-50 mg per 100 g) and bitter glycosides, in particular methyl mustard oil. The mechanism of the therapeutic action of the radish is associated with the presence of these compounds in it, which just give it a specific aroma, pungency and pleasant bitterness. In addition, radish contains substances such as lysozyme, which play an essential role in the antibacterial immunity of the human body. Lysozyme is found in saliva and blood. He constantly protects us from the invasion of disease-causing microbes.

Probably, as long as people have been breeding radish, it is known about its healing properties. Even Hippocrates found benefits from taking this root vegetable inside in the treatment of pulmonary diseases and dropsy of the abdomen. Dioscorides advised the use of radishes to improve vision and soothe coughs. Other ancient physicians believed that radish disintegrates stones of the gallbladder and urinary system, stops hemoptysis and increases the secretion of breast milk in lactating women.

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The radish is mentioned in the works of medieval medico-botanical poetry, where the healing properties of this plant are described in poetic form:

The cough, shaking the insides, is well soothed by the bitter

Eaten root of it, and the pounded seed from the radish, If you take it, it often heals the plague …"

radish
radish

What is the attitude of modern medical science towards radish? In general, she basically confirmed the observations of the ancients. The only exceptions are such formidable infections as plague and malaria, in which the therapeutic effect of the radish is absent. It has been scientifically proven that radish roots and the juice obtained from them have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, sputum-thinning, expectorant, antitussive, sedative, diuretic, choleretic and blood circulation-enhancing action in whooping cough, acute and chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, bronchoeculosis, bronchoeculosis, urolithiasis and gallstone diseases. Garden radish increases appetite, stimulates the secretion of digestive juice, enhances intestinal peristalsis and diuresis, increases the secretion of bile, affects metabolism. It is often used in dietary therapy for acute and chronic gastritis, especially with a decrease in the secretory function of the gastrointestinal tract to stimulate the secretion of gastric juice and increase intestinal motility. It is also successfully used for liver disease - chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver, as well as the gallbladder (in the form of fresh juice).

Diet food is recommended with its inclusion in vegetable salads. The combination of nutrients contained in fresh radish helps to lower blood cholesterol levels. It is a good way to remove cholesterol from the human body. Radish is effective in treating anemia of various origins, rheumatism, gout, obesity, and is used to increase lactation in nursing mothers. Radish roots are an indispensable tool for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis of the vessels of the heart and brain. For obese patients, foods with a high fiber content are recommended, which are slowly evacuated from the stomach and therefore create a feeling of fullness. These vegetables include radish, as well as turnip and rutabaga.

It is useful for patients in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac neuroses, accompanied by palpitations. Roots and seeds are used as medicinal raw materials, and the black radish and round shape have the highest healing qualities. In our food it is used only fresh as an additive to various dishes. In China and Japan, it is also consumed salted, dried, and boiled with various hot sauces.

radish
radish

Biological features of radish

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is a biennial (winter) and annual (summer) plant. In the first year of life, the plant forms a rosette of leaves and a large root crop weighing 70-500 g. Their shape is different, from flat-round to elongated. The surface of the bark is varied, depending on the variety, color: white, gray-white (pockmarked), green, brown, black, purple, yellow or pink.

In all root crops, a thin tap-fusiform root is formed at first, which is not characteristic of an adult plant. With the appearance of 1 or 2 true leaves as a result of division of the cambial ring, the root begins to increase in diameter. Its thickening is accompanied by rupture of the primary cortex. It dies off, forming dry films on the surface of the root crop. The so-called "molting" of the root crop occurs. Reserve nutrients in radishes, as well as in turnips, turnips and radishes, are deposited in the central part of the root crop - the neck formed from the hypocotal knee and partly due to the root. It does not form root branches. Thickening of the neck in rare-type root crops occurs through intensive division of cambium cells, which, moving to the periphery of the root, deposits juicy cells inside. The bulk of the root crop is represented by its edible part. The bark thickens slightly. Even in mature plants, it reaches a thickness of 2-4 mm. At the same time, in all root crops of this type, except for radish, the bark quickly coarsens. The outer part of the root vegetables of the radish is dense, the thick rind protects the root crops from cracking. The pulp is white, juicy, firm, with a pleasant, but bitter taste. The root vegetable taste of late long winter radish varieties is much sharper than that of early varieties. The root vegetable taste of the late long winter radish varieties is much sharper than that of the early varieties. The root vegetable taste of late long winter radish varieties is much sharper than that of early varieties.

Radish leaves are large, dissected, pubescent, collected in a large rosette.

The stem of the radish is strongly shortened in the first year. In the second year, a peduncle is formed, but with early spring sowing, it often forms a trunk in the first year. The flower stem of the radish is highly branched and reaches a height of 1.6-2.0 m. The flowering of plants begins in 35-40 days, and the seeds ripen 100-120 days after planting of roots. Summer radish forms flower stalks, like radishes, in the first year.

The flowers are white, pink or purple. The radish is pollinated by bees and other insects.

The fruit of the radish is a pod. If in turnip and swede it opens with two valves when the seeds ripen in it, then in radish and radish the seeds are inside the beak of the fruit, which does not open even when fully ripe: the seeds are extracted from it during threshing.

Radish seeds are similar to radish seeds, but they are smaller and more rounded. They have a high germination rate, 85-90% and higher. Under favorable conditions, they germinate 3-5 days after sowing.

The ratio of radish to growing conditions

Radish heat requirements

Radish is cold-resistant. Seeds begin to germinate at a temperature of + 1 … + 2 ° C. Seedlings tolerate frosts down to -3 … -4 ° С. All plants of the cabbage family, and especially radish, at elevated temperatures form flabby, bitter taste and poorly stored roots. The optimum temperature for the radish is + 15 … + 20 ° С. Its leaves tolerate autumn frosts well down to -4 … -6 ° С. Prolonged exposure to low temperatures under conditions of increasing daylight hours leads to the appearance of embryonic reproductive organs in plants - flowers and inflorescences, from which fruits and seeds are formed during fertilization. The process of qualitative changes, ending with the complete differentiation of the growth point and the formation of reproductive organs, begins in her from the moment of germination of seeds and ends in root crops during winter storage at a temperature of 0 … + 3 ° C. In early ripening varieties of radish, the transition to reproductive development under the influence of low temperatures takes 30-40 days and is completed in green plants. Therefore, with early sowing, many early ripening radish varieties bloom 100%. The duration of the transition to reproductive development and the conditions that accelerate this transition determine the timing of radish sowing.

Radish light requirements

The duration and intensity of the formation of root crops largely depend on the intensity of the light flux. Plants should be provided with the most favorable light conditions by the time the root crops molt. Radish, like all root plants, by photoperiodic reaction refers to long-day plants. With an increase in the duration of daylight, the root crop forms faster. Chinese and Japanese radish on a long day will in most cases arrow.

Radish moisture requirements

All root plants give a high yield only with sufficient moisture supply. Optimum soil moisture should be 75-80% of the full moisture capacity. Radish, like turnip and radish, is the most moisture-demanding plant. Moreover, in dry soil, root crops coarse and become bitter. Lack of water in the soil leads to the formation of flabby root crops. The thing is that in radish, like other root plants of the cabbage family, the organs of the supply of nutrients often form voids and become cottony due to the use of water from the juicy part of the pulp by the leaves. On the other hand, with prolonged moistening, they become watery. All root vegetables of the cabbage family, including radish, are very sensitive to air drought. When the relative humidity of the air drops to 40%, their growth stops, and the quality of the crop deteriorates.

Radish requirements for soil nutrition

It should be remembered that plants such as radish, rutabagas, radishes, on too light soils, form flabby roots with a pungent taste. Radish is hygrophilous, therefore, on sandy soils, it can give a good harvest only with watering. Record harvests can be obtained on well-cultivated soils under favorable climatic conditions.

The radish should be placed on fertile, non-acidic, medium loamy soils with a deep cultivated layer. Heavy, cold soils are unsuitable for her. In the process of forming a high yield, plants consume a large amount of nutrients. Fresh or semi-decomposed manure should not be applied under the radish, since its use, although it enhances plant growth, reduces the quality of the crop and the content of sugars, which affect not only the taste, but also the safety of root crops. Moreover, fresh manure for radish is unsuitable, as it causes hollowness and decay of the core of the root crop, like in the turnip.

For the normal formation of root crops, radish plants need sufficient supply of nutrients in the N: P: K ratio of 4: 6: 6 g per 1 m² in terms of active ingredient. From mineral fertilizers, they absorb potassium more intensively.

Radish varieties

In the non-chernozem zone, both early ripening varieties intended for summer consumption, as well as mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties intended for winter storage, are widespread. In Russia, the assortment of radish is presented in the State Register by nine varieties of various ripening periods. In early-ripening varieties, roots are formed in 55-90 days, in late-ripening varieties in 100-120 days. There are widespread varieties of summer radish: Delicacy, Ladushka, Odessa-5, Sultan, as well as winter: Graivoronskaya, Winter round white, Winter round black, Levina, Chernavka. Root crops of summer radish, unlike winter ones, are poorly stored. Recently, especially in the eastern regions, varieties and hybrids of Japanese radish (daikon) with large, up to 900 g root crops, similar in color and shape to radishes Dragon, Dubinushka, Emperor F1, Sasha, Favorit,Flamingo F1 and Chinese (forehead) - Fang of an elephant.

All about radish

Part 1: What is a radish?

Part 2: Growing a Radish

Part 3: Using a Radish

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