Source: Becker J., Gemüsebau, Paul Parey Verlag 1956; AID Gemüse 24/1982
Distribution, Yield, Use:
Distribution:
Mainly grown in mediterranean areas, West Europe,
North America, the Near East, India and Japan.
Prefers loose, nutrient rich soils.
Yield:
100 - 600 dt/ha tubers
Use:
- eaten raw
- cooked as a vegetable
The tubers contain
10-13% dry matter,
4-5% carbohydrate, 2% protein,
ca. 50 mg vitamin C/100 g.
Region of origin:
Region of cultivation:
Cultivation and Breeding:
The first evidence of the breeding of Kohlrabi comes from mid-Europe and goes back to the 16th century. The forerunner of Kohlrabi was probably the so-called Pompeian kale of the ancient Romans, or the marrow-stemmed kale (var. medullosa), in which the shoot axis is thickened in the middle.
The varieties available today include early, summer and autumn Kohlrabi, with white-green to blue-purple coloured tuber skins.
Breeding aims:
High yields (number per unit area), strength, and shoot stability, along with delicate texture are of importance.
A short development time is important for early Kohlrabi.