Purple Top Turnip in Corn Belt Core.
This review is based on independent university trial data and public extension publications, not seed-company marketing materials. No yield data is republished here for Purple Top Turnip in Corn Belt Core — this scorecard summarizes regional fit from publicly-documented agronomic principles. Always consult the latest Iowa State Variety Trials trial report for verified yield figures.
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Performance scorecard
Purple Top Turnip
Yield in Corn Belt Core
Yield data not summarized for this variety in Corn Belt Core. Where this variety appears in food-plot or community-managed contexts, yield is not the primary selection criterion.
Agronomic ratings
- Drought toleranceFair
- StandabilityGood
- EmergenceExcellent
- Winter hardinessFair
Food plot ratings
- PalatabilityGood
- PersistenceFair
- Establishmenteasy
Attraction timingPeaks after first hard frost — frost-driven sugar conversion turns deer onto bulbs and tops in November / December
Brassicas as a hunting food plot.
Brassicas are the late-season deer food plot species. Tubers and tops sweeten after frost and become primary attraction during the rut and post-rut. Time planting 60-90 days before first hard frost.
Regional strengths
Purple top turnip is the easy-button brassica for Corn Belt food plots — broadcast in late summer (early August in MW-2), establishes fast, and frost-triggered sugar conversion in November consistently turns whitetails onto the plot just as bow season transitions to gun season. Cheap seed cost per acre is a major reason it remains a food plot staple.
Regional weaknesses
Purple top is a single-purpose crop — once deer have stripped bulbs and tops in late winter, the field is bare until spring planting. Brassica disease (clubroot, alternaria) is rarely a problem in food plot rotations but becomes a real issue in continuous-brassica plots. Fawning cover value is poor.
Recommended for
- Corn Belt food plots planted late July / early August
- diversified brassica blends
- first-year plot conversions
Not recommended for
- plots needing year-round attraction
- continuous-brassica rotations
Where this data comes from
Brassicas variety trials in Corn Belt Core
Independent · Public UniversityThese results come from independent university variety trials — not seed company marketing materials. Variety entries, planting dates, and harvest measurements are controlled by the trial program. Land-grant universities publish full results annually.
- Iowa State Variety Trialscrops.extension.iastate.edu/varietytrials ↗
- Illinois Corn Hybrid Performance Trialsvt.cropsci.illinois.edu ↗
- Purdue Variety Performance Trialsextension.purdue.edu ↗
- Ohio Corn Performance Testcorn.osu.edu ↗
Trial reports are typically released in January–March of the year following harvest. For Brassicasvariety selection, the most recent year’s report is the most relevant data source.
Agronomic fit — Corn Belt Core
Humid continental with the highest-productivity row-crop soils in the United States. Long-enough season for full-RM corn (108–115) and MG 2.5–3.8 soybeans.
Purple Top Turnip as a food plot.
This variety is widely used in food plots for whitetail deer. Attraction timing: peaks after first hard frost — frost-driven sugar conversion turns deer onto bulbs and tops in november / december.
Brassicas as a hunting food plot.
Brassicas are the late-season deer food plot species. Tubers and tops sweeten after frost and become primary attraction during the rut and post-rut. Time planting 60-90 days before first hard frost.
Trait package & sourcing
“Long-running staple in Quality Deer Management Association (now NDA) food plot literature.”
These observations are from farmer and hunter community reports — they have not been independently verified.
Compare alternatives in Corn Belt Core
Comparison — Brassicas in Corn Belt Core
3 varieties| Metric | Purple Top Turnip60–80 days to bulb maturity | Trophy Radish60–80 days to root maturity | Daikon Radish (Tillage Radish)55–70 days; killed by hard freeze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | Good | Good | Excellent |
| Data quality | Community Reports | Community Reports | University Trial Data |
| GMO | Non-GMO | Non-GMO | Non-GMO |
| Drought tolerance | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| Standability | Good | Good | Good |
| Seeding rate | 3–5 lb/acre broadcast; 2–3 lb/acre in a blend | 5–8 lb/acre pure stand; 3–5 lb/acre in a blend | 8–10 lb/acre drilled; 10–15 lb/acre broadcast |
Cell tinting reflects best (green) / worst (amber) within this comparison only. Always verify against the latest extension trial report for Corn Belt Core before purchase decisions.
Variety performance data changes as new genetics enter the market. Always consult your local extension service for the most current trial data — this is especially important for corn and soybean entries, where trait packages and disease ratings shift annually.
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