Radish
Red radish
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Brassicales Family: Brassicaceae Genus: Raphanus Species: R. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Dicotyledons, or "dicots", is a name for a group of Flowering plants whose Seed typically has two embryonic leaves or Cotyledons There The Brassicales are an order of Flowering plants belonging to the Eurosids II group of Dicotyledons under the APG II system Brassicaceae or Cruciferae, also known as the crucifers, the mustard family or cabbage family is a family (the third lowest primary Raphanus is a Genus within the Flowering plant family Brassicaceae. sativus
Binomial name
Raphanus sativus L.

The radish (Raphanus sativus) is an edible root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe in pre-Roman times. Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for In general terms eating (formally ingestion) is the process of consuming Food to provide for the Nutritional needs of an Animal, particularly Root vegetables are plant roots used as Vegetables Other underground plants are often erroneously called root vegetables Brassicaceae or Cruciferae, also known as the crucifers, the mustard family or cabbage family is a family (the third lowest primary The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial They are grown and consumed throughout the world. Radishes have numerous varieties, varying in size, color and duration of required cultivation time. There are some radishes that are grown for their seeds; oilseed radishes are grown, as the name implies, for oil production.

Contents 1 History 2 Cultivation 3 Varieties 3.1 Spring or summer radishes 3.2 Winter varieties 3.3 Seed pod varieties 4 Nutritional value 5 Uses 5.1 In cooking 5.2 In medicine 5.3 In industry 6 Radishes in popular culture 7 Notes 8 External links

History

Although the radish was a well-established crop in Hellenistic and Roman times, which leads to the assumption that it was brought into cultivation at an earlier time, Zohary and Hopf note that "there are almost no archeological records available" to help determine its earlier history and domestication. This article focuses on the cultural aspects of the Hellenistic age for the historical aspects see Hellenistic period. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Wild forms of the radish and its relatives the mustards and turnip can be found over west Asia and Europe, suggesting that their domestication took place somewhere in that area. For the prepared condiment see Mustard (condiment. For other uses of the term "mustard" see Mustard. For similar vegetables also called "turnip" see Turnip (disambiguation. However Zohary and Hopf conclude, "Suggestions as to the origins of these plants are necessarily based on linguistic considerations. "^[1]

The descriptive Greek name of the genus Raphanus means "quickly appearing" and refers to the rapid germination of these plants. Raphanistrum from the same Greek root is an old name once used for this genus.

Cultivation

Summer radishes mature rapidly, with many varieties germinating in 3-7 days, and reaching maturity in three to four weeks. ^[2][3] A common garden crop in the U. S. , the fast harvest cycle makes them a popular choice for children's gardens. ^[2] Harvesting periods can be extended through repeated plantings, spaced a week or two apart. ^[4]

Radishes grow best in full sun and fertile, acidic to neutral soil. They are in season from April to June and from October to January in most parts of North America; in Europe and Japan they are available year-round (due to the plurality of varieties grown). As with other root crops, tilling the soil helps the roots grow. ^[4] Most soil types will work, though sandy loams are particularly good for winter and spring crops, while soils that form a hard crust can impair growth. ^[4] The depth at which seeds are planted affects the size of the root, from 1 cm deep recommended for small radishes to 4 cm for large radishes. ^[3]

Varieties

Broadly speaking, radishes can be categorized into four main types (summer, fall, winter, and spring) and a variety of shapes, colours, and sizes, such as black or multi-coloured radishes, with round or elongated roots that can grow longer than a parsnip. The parsnip ( Pastinaca sativa) is a Root vegetable related to the Carrot.

Spring or summer radishes

Sometimes referred to as European radishes, or as spring radishes if they're typically planted in cooler weather, summer radishes are generally small and have a relatively short 3-4 week cultivation time.

• The April Cross is a giant white radish hybrid that bolts very slowly.
• Cherry Belle is a bright red-skinned round variety with a white interior. ^[2] It is familiar in North American supermarkets.
• Champion is round and red-skinned like the Cherry Belle, but with slightly larger roots, up to about 5 cm, and a milder flavor. ^[2]
• Red King has a mild flavor, with good resistance to club foot, a problem that can arise from poor drainage. ^[2]
• Snow Belle is an all-white variety of radish, also round like the Cherry Belle. ^[2]
• White Icicle or just Icicle is a white carrot-shaped variety, around 10-12 cm long, dating back to the 16th century. It slices easily, and has better than average resistance to pithiness. ^[2][3]
• French Breakfast is an elongated red-skinned radish with a white splash at the root end. It is typically slightly milder than other summer varieties, but is among the quickest to turn pithy. ^[3]
• Plum Purple a purple-fuchsia radish that tends to stay crisp longer than the average radish. Fuchsia is a Genus of flowering Plants mostly Shrubs and can grow long shoots which were identified by Charles Plumier in the late-17th ^[3]
• Gala and Roodbol are two varieties popular in the Netherlands in a breakfast dish, thinly sliced on buttered bread. ^[2]
• Easter Egg is not an actual variety, but a mix of varieties with different skin colors,^[3] typically including white, pink, red, and purple radishes. Sold in markets or seed packets under the name, the seed mixes can extend harvesting duration from a single planting, as different varieties may mature at different times. ^[3]

Winter varieties

Black Spanish or Black Spanish Round are occur in both round and elongated forms, and is sometimes simply called the black radish or known by the French Gros Noir d'Hiver. It dates in Europe to 1548,^[5] and was a common garden variety in England and France the early 19th century. ^[6] It has a rough black skin with hot-flavored white flesh, is round or irregularly pear shaped,^[7] and grows to around 10cm in diameter.

Daikon refers to a wide variety of winter radishes from east Asia. (from Japanese daikon (大根 literally "large root" is a mild-flavored East Asian giant white Radish. While the Japanese name daikon has been adopted in English, it is also sometimes called the Japanese radish, Chinese radish, or Oriental radish. ^[8] In areas with a large South Asian population, it is marketed as mooli. Daikon commonly have elongated white roots, although many varieties of daikon exist. One well known variety is April Cross, with smooth white roots. ^[2][3] The New York Times describes Masato Red and Masato Green varieties as extremely long, well suited for fall planting and winter storage. ^[2] The Sakurajima daikon is a hot flavored variety which is typically grown to around 10 kg when harvested, but which has grown as heavy as 30 kg when left in the ground. is an active Volcano and a former island (now connected to the mainland of the same name in Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyūshū, Japan. ^[2][9]

Seed pod varieties

The seeds of radishes grow in pods, following flowering that happens when left to grow past their normal harvesting period. The seeds are edible, and are sometimes used as a crunchy, spicy addition to salads. ^[3] Some varieties are grown specifically for their seeds or seed pods, rather than their roots. The Rat-tailed radish, an old European variety thought to have come from East Asia centuries ago, has long, thin, curly pods which can exceed 20cm in length. In the 17th century, the pods were often pickled and served with meat. ^[3] The München Bier variety supplies spicy seeds that are sometimes served raw as an accompaniment to beer in Germany.

Nutritional value

Radish, raw, root only Nutritional value per 100 g (3. 5 oz)
Energy 20 kcal   70 kJ
Carbohydrates     3. Carbohydrates (from ' Hydrates of Carbon ' or saccharides ( Greek σάκχαρον meaning " Sugar " are the most 40 g - Sugars  1. 86 g - Dietary fiber  1. Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the Digestive system, absorbing water and easing Defecation. 6 g   Fat 0. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water 10 g Protein 0. Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl 68 g Thiamin (Vit. B1)  0. For the similarly spelled pyrimidine see Thymine Thiamin or thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1 012 mg   1% Riboflavin (Vit. B2)  0. Riboflavin ( E101) also known as vitamin B2, is an easily absorbed Micronutrient with a key role in maintaining Health 039 mg   3% Niacin (Vit. B3)  0. Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin which prevents the deficiency disease Pellagra. 254 mg   2% Pantothenic acid (B5)  0. Pantothenic acid, also called Vitamin B5 (a B vitamin) is a water- Soluble vitamin required to sustain life ( 165 mg  3% Vitamin B6  0. Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble Vitamin. Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP is the active form and is a cofactor in many reactions of Amino acid metabolism including 071 mg 5% Folate (Vit. Folic acid (also known as Vitamin M and Folacin) and Folate (the Anionic form are forms of the water-soluble Vitamin B9 B9)  25 μg  6% Vitamin C  14. Vitamin C or L-ascorbate is an Essential nutrient for a large number of higher primate species a small number of other Mammalian 8 mg 25% Calcium  25 mg 3% Iron  0. Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 34 mg 3% Magnesium  10 mg 3%  Phosphorus  20 mg 3% Potassium  233 mg   5% Zinc  0. Magnesium is an essential element in biological systems. Magnesium occurs typically as the Mg2+ ion Phosphorus, (ˈfɒsfərəs is the Chemical element that has the symbol P and Atomic number 15 Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 28 mg 3%
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Reference Daily Intake (or Recommended Daily Intake ( RDI) is the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient which was considered (at the time they were defined to be sufficient Source: USDA Nutrient database

Radishes are rich in ascorbic acid, folic acid, and potassium. This article deals with the molecular aspects of ascorbic acid Folic acid (also known as Vitamin M and Folacin) and Folate (the Anionic form are forms of the water-soluble Vitamin B9 Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 They are a good source of vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, copper, and calcium. Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble Vitamin. Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP is the active form and is a cofactor in many reactions of Amino acid metabolism including Riboflavin ( E101) also known as vitamin B2, is an easily absorbed Micronutrient with a key role in maintaining Health Magnesium (mægˈniːziəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Mg, Atomic number 12 Atomic weight 24 Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 One cup of sliced red radish bulbs provides approximately 20 Calories or less, coming largely from carbohydrates, making radishes, relative to their size, a very filling food for their caloric value. This article is about the unit of energy For its use in Nutrition and Food labelling regulations, see the article on Food energy. Carbohydrates (from ' Hydrates of Carbon ' or saccharides ( Greek σάκχαρον meaning " Sugar " are the most

Uses

In cooking

The most popular part for eating is the napiform taproot, although the entire plant is edible and the tops can be used as a leaf vegetable. A Plant 's taproot is a straight tapering Root that grows vertically down Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a Vegetable, sometimes accompanied The skin comes in a variety of colours. Most commonly known is the round, red-skinned variety but other varieties may have a pink, white or gray-black skin, and there is a yellow-skinned variety.

The bulb of the radish is usually eaten raw, but tougher specimens can be steamed. The raw flesh has a crisp texture and a pungent, peppery flavor, caused by chewing glucosinolates and the enzyme myrosinase in the radish, that, when brought together form allyl isothiocyanates , also present in mustard, horseradish and wasabi. The glucosinolates are a class of Organic compounds that contain Sulfur and Nitrogen and are derived from Glucose and an amino acid Allyl isothiocyanate is the Organosulfur compound with the formula CH2CHCH2NCS For the prepared condiment see Mustard (condiment. For other uses of the term "mustard" see Mustard. Horseradish ( Armoracia rusticana, syn Cochlearia armoracia) is a Perennial plant of the Brassicaceae family which also includes mustard Wasabi (わさびja ワサビ, ja 山葵 (originally written ja 和佐比 Wasabia japonica, Cochlearia wasabi, or Eutrema japonica) is a member

In medicine

Radishes are suggested as an alternative treatment for a variety of ailments including whooping cough, cancer, coughs, gastric discomfort, liver problems, constipation, dyspepsia, gallbladder problems, arthritis, gallstones, kidney stones^[10] and intestinal parasites. The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern western world encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional Medicine. Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious Disease caused by the Bacterium Bordetella pertussis; it derived its Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled In Medicine, a cough ( Latin: tussis) is a sudden and often repetitively occurring defence Reflex which helps to clear the large breathing passages The liver is a vital organ in the human body and is present in Vertebrates and some other animals Constipation, costiveness, or irregularity, is a condition of the Digestive system in which a person (or animal experiences hard Feces that Dyspepsia (from the Greek "δυς-" (Dys- and "πέψη" (Pepse known in plain English as indigestion, meaning hard The gallbladder (or cholecyst sometimes gall bladder is a small organ whose function in the body is to store Bile and aid in the digestive process Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation plural arthritides is a group of conditions involving damage to the Joints of the body In Medicine, gallstones (choleliths are Crystalline bodies formed within the body by accretion or concretion of normal or abnormal Bile component Kidney stones, also called renal calculi, are solid concretions (crystal aggregations of dissolved minerals in Urine; calculi typically form Intestinal parasites are Parasites that populate the Gastro-intestinal tract. ^[11]

In industry

The seeds of the Raphanus sativus species can be pressed to extract seed oil. The radish ( Raphanus sativus) is an edible Root vegetable of the Brassicaceae family that was domesticated in Europe in pre- Wild radish seeds contain up to 48% oil content, and while not suitable for human consumption the oil has promise as a source of biofuel. ^[12] The oilseed radish grows well in cool climates. ^[13]

Radishes in popular culture

• Radishes were a favourite food of Fraggles, Gorgs and Doozers in the children's television program Fraggle Rock
• Homestar Runner's Reddest Radish

Notes

Identifying a Radish Image

External links

• Multilingual taxonomic information from the University of Melbourne
• Production of radishes hosted by the UNT Government Documents Department
• Discovered Bibliography (Raphanus sativus) in the Biodiversity Heritage Library

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