Long Radish or Turin Radish or Tabasso Radish

Definition
Long Radish or Turin radish or Tabasso radish is one of the several varieties belonging to the species Raphanus Sativus L., of the family of Brassicaceae.
The cultivar is characterized by plants with a medium-high vigor, outstretched and upright leaves, cylindrical and regular taproot of an intense red color, with thin and white top and a small ring of the same color at the joint of the leaf. The edible part, consisting of the swollen and fleshy part of the hypocotyls, is regular, with neither bitter nor spicy tastes, while it is characterized by a considerable presence of aromas. Therefore, the cultivar distinguishes itself for its great taste, less similar to the turnip of the most common commercial cultivars, and for its perfect adaptation to quality productions during all the months of the year.
The cultivation technique consists of sowing in rows under a tunnel all year round, except for the hottest months (July and August). The cultivation cycle lasts from a minimum of 21 days to a maximum of 60 days (in winter). The ideal fertilization is obtained with manuring once a year at the beginning of the cultivation season and with earthworm humus in the middle of the cultivation year. A surface irrigation is necessary, not abundant but frequent, considering that radish is very sensitive to the water excess. Radish cultivation benefits from soil solarization (an agronomic technique exploiting the warmth of the sun to sterilize soil) during the summer (July and August), which enables the elimination of weeds and controls the pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia. For the short cultivation cycle, it rarely needs phytosanitary treatments.
The seed is produced in the holding, selecting not too long roots with a cylindrical and regular form and roundish section, during the preparation of the spring product (sown in March) for the market. Such roots are transplanted in April, bloom in May-June and the seed is harvested in late July-August, and selected for the following sowing.

Production Area: currently the cultivation of Tabasso radish is mainly limited to the hill of Moncalieri (TO). In the 1970s, instead, the cultivation also involved Nichelino and the adjacent Municipalities.
The reduction of the cultivated surface from the 1970s till present times is given above all to the competition of the Dutch radish and Latina radish, even if the latter is entirely red, heavier, and less bright than Tabasso radish.

Legislative Protection: Long radish or Torino radish or Tabasso radish is classified among the "Traditional Agri-foodstuffs of Regione Piemonte", according to art. 8 of the Legislative Decree 30th April 1998, n. 173 and the Annex to the Decisions of the Regional Council 15th April 2002 n. 46-5823.

Producers