The document provides a comprehensive overview of carrot production technology, detailing its botanical characteristics, nutritional value, and various cultivars and their growing conditions. It outlines cultivation practices, including land preparation, sowing, irrigation, fertilization, harvesting, and post-harvest handling, as well as common challenges like diseases and pests. Additionally, it discusses seed production, methods of consumption, and fun facts about carrots.

1. CARROT
Production technology
By :
SATYA SHREE .S
B.Tech(Horticulture
)

2. CARROT :
 Botanical Name :
 Daucus carota
 Family : Umbelliferae/
Apiaceae..
 Origin: Afghanisthan
Introduced-13th century
 Chromosome no: 2n=18
 Edible Part: Root(tap root)
 Orange carrot –Genetic variant(16th century)
 “Coloured carrots” require less breeding efforts.

3. Nutritional value :
Nutritional value :
Water 88%
Sugar 7%
Protein 1%
Fibre 1%
ash 1%
fat 0.2%
 Carotenes ------- vitamin A(liver cells)
 It has beta carotene,vitamins,falcarinol minerals
and anti oxidants in ample amounts.
 The flavanoid compounds –skin, lung and cavity
cancers.
 It also prevents cardio vascular diseases.

4. Botany :
 Annual or biennial herb.
 Erect/branched stem of 30-120cm
high arising from a thick fleshy root.
 Leaves are pinnatifid.
 Edible portion is fleshy tap root with
outer cortex (phloem) and inner core (xylem).

5. Flower :
• Individual flowers are borne on
undivided pedicels originating
from a common node.
• Cluster –compound umbel
Smaller umbels –umbellets.
• Centripetal arrangement :
the oldest flowers -near the edge
youngest flowers - in the center.
• Flowers change sex -stamens
release pollens before the stigma
is receptive.
• Bisexual: yellow or white…

6. Area and production :
 Current world production-25 million tonnes
1.China 2.Russia 3.United states

7. Carrots are largely grown in California
and so it dubs itself as “The carrot
capital of the world”…
Grimway carrots- california.
In india,,,,since it is a cool season crop
(15-20c) will develop good colour.
South India -Nilgiris and Bangalore.
North India – Punjab,Hariana and
Rajasthan .

8. Main carrot growing states :
 Uttar Pradesh,
 Assam,
 Karnataka,
 Andhra Pradesh,
 Punjab and
 Haryana.
 Pusa Rudhira is an improved carrot variety
released from IARI, New Delhi.(red)
 (393.75q/ha)37% higher than local variety.
 Pusa Asita - black carrot variety.(good appetizer)
 Indian pink –crunchy and delicious

9. Cultivars and varieties :
 Based on shape of roots
 1. Long rooted: 25cm or more in length,
these perform well in comparatively light
soil.
 2. Half- long rooted: Length does not
usually exceed 20cm.
 3. Short-stump rooted: These cultivars are
small suitable for growing in heavy soils.

10. Based on temperature response :
 Temperate or European: Annual and
require low temperature of 4.8-10°c for
flowering.
 Do not produce seeds in the plains of
India, e.g., Nantes, Chantenay, etc.
 Tropical or Asiatic: Do not require any low
temperature treatment for flowering, they
seed freely in the plains of India.
 More of anthocyanin and less carotene.
 Hills :Ooty 1,Early Nantes ,New Korda.
 Plains :India Gold ,Pusa kesar ,Half Long
Danvers.

11. ASIATIC /
TROPICAL:

12. Pusa Kesar :
 Improved cultivar.
 Developed by recombination breeding from a
cross between ‘LOCAL RED’ and ‘NANTES
HALF LONG’
 It is high and quick growing.
 Roots remain in the field for longer period without
bolting.
 Can tolerate high temperature.
 High carotene content(38mg/100g)
90-110 days, 30 ton/ha

13. Pusa Meghali :
 Developed and recommended by IARI
 Cross between NANTES and PUSA
KESAR.
 The roots are long tapering, orange with
self-coloured core.
 Foliage growth is medium.
 The branching and forking of roots is very
less.

14. Sel .233
 Developed by Punjab Agricultural
University,1978.
 Cross between NANTES and NO. 29.
 Leaves are dark green in colour, roots are
15-18cm long.
 Smooth orange with light orange core.
 Forking and cracking are less.
 Ready for harvest in 90-100days.

15. Hisar Gairic (HC 1):
 Developed through
mass selection from the germplasm
collected from various parts
of the country.
 Matures in 120days.
 Light green leaves, long roots, less fibre and
forking.
 Carotene content 96.2mg/100g of fresh weight.
 Suitable for early sowing.

16. TEMPERATE /
EUROPEAN :

17. Nantes :
 Well shaped roots,
 scarlet orange in colour,
 cylindrical in shape,
 With stumped end forming
a small thin tail.
 The skin is thin and flesh
is sweet.
 It is ready in 120days.

18. Imperator :
 Long ,cylindrical and highly
uniform but tapers towards
the end.
 The best carrots for rabbits.
 Size :20-28cm,thickness :4 cm,ends with a
pointed tip.
 More fibrous core.
 Deeply orange,not so sweet and good for
storage..
 High yield…

19. Chantenay :
 Roots are attractive deep reddish
Orange and smooth.
 Thick shoulders somewhat square,
 Flesh tender, sweet and fine textured.
 It takes about 120 days.
 Excellent for canning and storage.

20. Danvers :
 Danvers are medium-length
carrots, conical in shape, and
thicker than Imperators.
 The end of the root is tapered.
 Suitable for both the processing
and commercial fresh market
industries.
 Yellow core

21. Ooty 1:
 Selection from local type.
 Long and slightly tapering.
 Deep orange and suitable for all seasons.
 It takes about 100-110 days.
 1800 m above MSL.
 Central core thin, fleshy and palatable.
 Free from premature bolting and resistant to powdery
mildew, leaf spot and drought.
 Rich in beta carotene.
 Yields about 49.1tonnes/ha.

22. Hybrids :
 Hybrids are being developed by utilising Male
sterile lines.
(IARI,NewDelhi.IIVR,Varanasi.PAU,Ludhiana.
SKUAST,Srinagar.)
 Some of the hybrids are:
1. Samson 196
2. Bangor
3. Carson
4. Oranza
5. Premia
6. Cerumba
7. Desi Red

23. Climate :
 Cool season crop.
 Spring summer and autumn crop - hills
winter crop -plains of North India.
 Temperature plays an important role in
germination.
 Seed germination takes place at 7.2- 23.9°c.
 Root growth and development occurs at 18.3-
23.9°c.
 Tropical type produces roots even at 25°c.
 European types require low temperature for
development of roots.

24. Soil :
 Deep and well drained friable soil gives
long, smooth, slender roots.
 For early crop sandy loam is preferred.
 In heavy soils, short stump rooted varieties
having round and heart-shaped roots are
preferred.
 pH is 6.6-7.1

25. Land preparation :
 Soil is ploughed to fine
tilth.
 Utmost care is taken to
remove clods and stones.
 Land is then made to
ridges and furrows at
30-45 cm apart in small plots of convenient
size for irrigation.

26. Sowing :
 South and Central Jan –feb
India hills : June –July
Oct -Nov
 Northern plains : Aug -Dec
 Hills : Mar – Apr
 Treat with fungicides like Thiram to avoid
damping off and other diseases..

27.  Seed rate varies from 8-10kg/ha depending
upon variety.
 Seeds are sown on ridges or on flat beds
either by dibbling in lines or by broadcasting.
 Seeds are sown at the depth of 1cm.

28. Irrigation and Interculture :
 Light irrigation -after sowing.
 Irrigation interval:10-12days
in winter
5-6days in summer .
 2-3days prior to harvest-withheld irrigation.
 Soil should be hoed frequently to allow proper
aeration and to prevent discolouration of
crown.
 Weeding should be done at initial stages.

29. Manuring :
 20-25 tonnes of FYM.
 40-50kg N, 40-50kg P and 80-100kg K is
recommended.
 Entire dose of FYM, half N and full P and K are to
be applied as basal dose at the time of final land
preparation .
 Remaining dose of N can be applied at the time of
first hoeing.
 If optimum dose of N is exceeded, the contents of
carotene, Vit C and sugars decrease considerably.

30. Harvesting :
 Harvesting should be done at correct maturity stage
viz., 70-85 days after sowing.
 Light irrigation should be given just before harvest for
easy pulling of roots.
 In flat ground, top is removed close to ground and
roots are dug out with spade.

31. Yield :
 Yield varies with season, climate and varieties
etc.,
 Tropical types 20-30 tonnes/ha
 European types 10-15 tonnes/ha.
Post harvest handling :
 Soon after harvesting ,they are graded
according to the size,diameter and length.
 Storage under ambient temp.
 Topped and untopped carrots differ ..in shelf
life.

32. MAJOR CONSTRAINTS :
Carrot splitting :
 Carrot splitting is due to genetic
factors.
 Excess nitrogen and its untimely
application promote cracking.

33. Cavity spot :
 Primarily caused by calcium deficiency
induced by excess potassium.
 Symptoms appear as a cavity in cortex.

34. Forked roots :
 Hard soil does not allow the straight growth of
tap roots.
 This results in forking of carrot.

35. Leaf spot or cercospora blight
 Leaf spot initiated by cercospora carotae.
 Elongated lesions along the edge of the leaf
segment, resulting in a
lateral curling.
 Entire leaves and
 petiole may die on severe
infection.
 Control measures include seed
treatment with
fungicides, dipping seeds in
0.01 per cent mercuric
chloride solution for 5 minutes.

36. Powdery mildew :
 Powdery mildew caused by Erysiphae
sometimes become a major disease of carrot.
 White powdery growth on leaves and later
spread on flowers, stems and fruits.
 Control measures include dusting wetable
sulphur

37. Carrot rust fly :
 The larvae mine in the roots causing holes that are
subject to rot by secondary organisms.
 Drooping and discoloured foliage are the symptoms.
 The leaves become rusty brown or even dry.
 Control measures include soil application
of Carbofuran controls the pest.

38. Nematodes :
 The most important nematode damaging
carrots is a species of Pratylenchus.
 They cause roots to be forked and make
unmarketable.
 Nematode number can be reduced by
growing Tagetes.
 Soil treatment with Nemagon or sannema or
DD can also appreciably reduce the
nematode population.

39. SEED PRODUCTION :
 . GROW VIGOROUS PLANTS
 Grow plants at the same time of the year, the
same way you would usually do.
 Root to seed method :
Those root are called stecklings.

40.  Carrot is grown by seeds.the seed production
is done by two methods :
root to seed method -genetic purity
seed to seed method – certified seed
 Root rot is very high in seed to seed method .
 Seed rate :5-6 kg
 When germination percent is low ..seed rate
can be increased .

41. Roguing :
 During vegetative growth-offtypes removed
based on leaf characters.
 Flowering,fruiting, maturity periods-roguing
effective ..(removal of diseased)

42.  2. VERNALIZE ROOTS
Carrots require 6-8 weeks of cold treatment at 5-
6°C for floral induction.
carrot crop :
 summer - leave them in the field instead and let
them experience the winter.
Remove the dead and drying leafs, thinning of
atleast 5cm apart done, covered with mulch.
 Leaf will regrow and after several weeks a seed
stalk will appear, this is seed to seed method.
In this method the losses are high and as the
roots are cannot be examined the quality cant be
checked.
 Seed yield can be increased –spray 750 ppm
GA3….at 8 to 10 leaf stage .

43.  The root to seed method is more reliable.
 Harvest the roots when you usually would.and
remove off types
 trim the tops to 2-4cm and air dry till no
moisture is present on it.
 Pack it in paper bags with equal amount of
wood shavingsand place it in polyethylene
bags 2-5°C
 puncture the bags after several days when
you find moisture droplets accumilate inside.

44. 3. GROW VERNALIZED PLANTS
Plant the vernalized roots and water it well.
 Seed stalk development will be evident after
4-6 weeks.
 Control of microbial the pest infection is
essential.
 Carrot seeds can only be produced true to
type if wild carrot is not growing nearby. This
wild carrot cross pollinates and leads to white
coloured roots.

45. Harvesting ;drying and seed extraction
 Umbels are fully ripen.-fully matured heads.
 Dried within 5-6 days on open sun.
 Seeds extracted by beating dried umbels with
sticks.
 Seeds should be cleaned that there is no
chaff or other inert matter.
 Seed dried at 8.0% moisture .
 SEED YIELD :1200 kg-2000 kg /ha..

47. Pollination :
Pollination-through bees and flies.
 it can be done with a brush to but the seed set
would be low.
 4-6 weeks after pollination the seeds turn
brown.
 Harvesting must be done before the seed
cracks in paper bags to dry completely.
 Remove the spines by rubbing the dry seed
 carrot seeds have no dormancy period.
 Store in a moisture free container.

48. Isolation distance :
Foundation seed :
1000 m
Certified seed :
800 m

50. Methods of consumption and uses
 Only 3% -carotene –raw carrot.
 Increased to 39% by pulping,cooking….
 Greens -edible vegetable,( toxic
alkaloids).harvested before significant root
development.
 In north India “GAJAR KA HALWA”(carrot dessert),
which has carrots grated and cooked in milk until
the whole mixture is solid, after which nuts and
butter are added.
 Carrot cakes, carrot puddings, jam, fresh juice are
also available .

51. Fun facts about carrot :
 The worlds longest carrot was in 2007 and it was
5.839m.
 The heaviest carrot recorded in 1998 was 9.02 kg
 Both the words Daucas carota means orange.
 Carrots were first grown as a medicine not a food.
 An average person consumes 10,866 carrots in a
lifetime.
 The crisp texture of a carrot is a result of the cell
walls being stiff with the indigestible food fibre .
 The classic bugs bunny carrot is the danvers type.

55. THANK YOU