Common Rutabaga Problems: Learn About RutabagaPestsAndDisease. Amy Grant's avatar.To alleviate the majority of rutabaga plant issues, it helps to become familiar with the most common pests or diseases affecting these plants. Pests/Diseases. Using floating row covers for the first few weeks will eliminate most insect pests. RutabagaPestsandDiseases. Pest/Disease. Growing Tips. Cultivars to Select. Managing PestsandDisease. Harvesting. Rutabaga Quick Reference Growing Guide. After decades of gardening year-round in Sonoma Valley—with plenty of trial, error, and refinement—I’ve learned that a few consistent, natural practices keep rutabaga nearly pest-free anddisease-free. Here’s what to watch for and how to keep your rutabaga patch thriving. This section provides concise answers to common inquiries about managing diseases and pests in rutabagas, applying natural deterrents, identifying spoilage, utilizing pesticides effectively, leveraging beneficial insects, and safeguarding turnips. Botanical Description. The rutabaga, a biennial plant (grown as an annual) that produces seeds during the second year of growth,6 belongs to the cabbage family, has similar foliage and suffers from the same pestsanddiseases as cabbages. RutabagaPestsAndDiseases. The primary pests for rutabagas include flea beetles, cabbage moths, harlequin beetles and cabbage root maggots. Moles, voles, rabbits and deer may also nibble. RutabagaPests Identification. Rutabagas can be attacked by several different kinds of pests. Consult our pest guides below to discover how to identify common rutabagapests... How to Grow Rutabaga - Insects and Pests. Rutabagas can be visited by a variety of insects and pests. The insect world knows that this vegetable is tasty and nutritious. Insect pests include slugs and snails, aphids, beetles, cutworms, and root maggots. Plant Disease. · Turnips and rutabagas are vulnerable to various organisms that cause diseases on the leaves and roots. Read now to learn key symptoms. Rutabaga, Brassica napus, is an herbaceous biennial in the family Brassicaceae grown primarily for its edible root. The plant is believed to be a hybrid of turnip and wild cabbage. · Rutabagas confront an unyielding assault from three major pests that infest above and below, threatening both roots and leaves alike. Rutabaga can fall victim to several different pests and diseases. Some of the pests affecting rutabaga include the cabbage aphid, the flea beetle and root maggots. Cabbage aphids can stunt plant growth and even cause death. The insects are gray-green and will be visible on the leaves. Rutabagas can suffer from several diseases that can weaken or even kill the plant. Consult our disease guides below to help you identify and manage several common diseases that can affect rutabaga plants... Turnip and Rutabaga. Broadleaf Weeds. Inter-row shielded. Pest. INSECTS: Cabbage Root Maggot Treatment at Planting.7 Begin applications prior to or at the onset of disease and repeat applications on a 7–10-day interval if conditions remain favorable for disease development.