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Carrot Production in

UC Vegetable Research
& Information Center California
JOE NUÑEZ, University of California Cooperative Extension Farm
Advisor, Kern County; TIM HARTZ, University of California Cooperative
Extension Vegetable Crops Specialist, University of California, Davis;
TREVOR SUSLOW, University of California Cooperative Extension
vric.ucdavis.edu
Postharvest Specialist, University of California, Davis; MILT MCGIFFEN,
University of California Cooperative Extension Plant Physiologist, University
Vegetable Production Series of California, Davis; and ERIC T. NATWICK, University of California
Cooperative Extension, Imperial County

Production Areas and Seasons Climate Requirements


California has four main production areas for carrots Carrots, a cool-season crop, will tolerate warm tem-
(Daucus carota): the southern San Joaquin Valley and the peratures early in the growing season. Roots attain
Cuyama Valley (Kern and Santa Barbara Counties); the optimal color when the air temperature is 60º to 70ºF
southern desert (Imperial and Riverside Counties); the (18º to 21ºC). Root color can deepen rapidly when
high desert (Los Angeles County); and the central coast temperatures are within this range 3 weeks before
(Monterey County). harvest. Above 86ºF (30ºC), the growth of foliage
Carrots are grown year-round in California. In the is reduced and strong flavors develop in the roots,
southern San Joaquin and Cuyama Valleys, carrots are reducing their market quality. Below 50ºF (10ºC), car-
planted from December to March for harvest from May rot roots and foliage grow slowly. Carrots may toler-
to July and from July to September for harvest from ate some frost.
November to February. In the southern desert, they
are planted from August to February for harvest from Varieties and Planting
December to June. In the high desert they are planted Techniques
from April to July for harvest from August to December.
Consumer demand for uniform roots of deep orange
On the central coast, they are planted from December to
color has led to extensive use of Imperator-type
August for harvest from April to January.
hybrids. Varieties for the cut and peel market include
Sugarsnax, Topcut, Primecut, Trinity, Imperial Cut,
FRESH MARKET CARROT ACREAGE AND VALUE
and Tastypeel. Cello varieties commonly used include
Average yield Gross value/ Apache, Navajo, Maverick and Choctaw. Some of
Year Acreage (ton/acre) acre the major producers in California also use their own
2003 68,000 15.00 $6,120 proprietary varieties. Nantes-type varieties, com-
2004 66,500 15.25 $6,558 monly grown in Europe and in home gardens, are not
normally grown commercially in California. There is
2005 67,500 15.50 $6,677 a growing interest by producers in other colored car-
2006 69,500 15.25 $6,389 rots such as reds, yellows, and purple, and these are
Source: National Agriculture Statistics Service 2007 (United States beginning to be grown on a larger scale.
Department of Agriculture, 2007). Carrots are always direct seeded. Both raw and
pelleted seed are used. Carrot seed vary from 175,000
PROCESSING CARROT ACREAGE AND VALUE to 400,000 per pound (80,000 to 180,000 per kg) and
are sown at the rate of 0.9 to 1.3 million seeds per
Average yield Gross value/
Acreage acre (0.4 to 0.5 million per ha). Higher densities are
Year (ton/acre) acre
used for plantings for the cut and peel market. Seed
2003 3,500 32.3 $3,230 within a lot vary significantly in size, maturity, vigor
2004 4,300 32.0 $3,552 and germination time; emergence often occurs over
several days. Seed are most commonly sown in six or
2005 4,100 35.0 $2,870
eight lines in beds 40 inches (1 m) wide with three or
2006 4,500 33.0 $4,125 four rows on each bed shoulder. Seed are placed in a
Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service 2007 (United States narrow groove and are lightly covered.
Department of Agriculture, 2007).

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu
Publication 7226
2 • Carrot Production in California

Soils and Irrigation Root Forking, Stubbing, and


The upper 30 inches (75 cm) of soil should be uni- Color
form and free of barriers to root growth. Although Damage to the growing root tip may cause the car-
carrots are often grown on sandy soils, the ideal soil rot root to fork or stub, rendering it unmarketable.
is silt loam, which provides the best combination of Forking or stubbing often occurs within a few weeks
water-holding capacity and drainage. Heavy soils after the seed germinates. Many diseases can cause
can encourage hairy, deformed roots. Carrots can be forking. Poor soil structure, improper irrigation man-
successfully produced in both acid and alkaline soils; agement, or hard freezes can also cause forking or
California carrot fields typically range in pH from 5.5 stubbing. To help prevent forking and stubbing,
to 8.0. prepare the soil well so that it has good tilth and
A uniform water supply is critical for good color drainage and avoid over- or under-watering young
and root formation. If significant wet-dry cycles occur, carrots.
the roots will split. Excessive watering discourages As the carrot root matures, carotene accumulates,
good color formation and may encourage disease. causing the root to change from yellow-white to yel-
Carrots are usually irrigated by solid-set sprinklers. low and then orange. Although varieties differ in their
In the Imperial Valley, carrots are germinated using potential for orange color, soil fertility, temperature,
solid-set sprinklers, then switched to furrow irriga- and water content have the main effects on root color.
tion at the first cultivation. Some acreage has been The health of the leaves plays a minor role in root
converted to center pivot irrigation, but its use is still color unless the tops are severely stressed.
limited. Drip irrigation has been tested with carrots,
but the results have been poor. Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management (IPM) information is
Fertilization continually being developed for carrots. Cultural
Carrot is a deep-rooting crop, able to efficiently control methods such as mechanical cultivation, field
extract nitrogen (N) from soil to a depth of several sanitation, and good drainage and irrigation man-
feet. Seasonal nitrogen application varies widely agement are important components of IPM that help
among growers and fields, ranging from as low as 100 minimize chemical controls. Herbicides, insecticides,
pounds of nitrogen per acre (110 kg/ha) to over 250 nematicides, and fungicides should always be used
pounds per acre (280 kg/ha). University research has in compliance with label instructions. For detailed
shown that seasonal nitrogen rates greater than 150 information about IMP for carrots, see the UC IPM
pounds of nitrogen per acre (170 kg/ha) are seldom Pest Management Guidelines for Carrots Web site,
necessary to maximize root yield, and that excessive http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.
nitrogen application increases root cracking during carrots.html. Herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides
harvest and handling. A small amount of nitrogen is should always be used in compliance with label
typically applied preplant with phosphorus (P) fertil- instructions.
izer, with the majority of nitrogen applied either as a
sidedressing or through sprinkler irrigation. Weed Management
Phosphorus fertilization should be done based on Many weeds, including summer and winter annuals
soil test phosphorus level. Fields with soil phospho- and perennials, are pests of carrots. Nutsedges, both
rus greater than 30 ppm (by the bicarbonate extrac- yellow (Cyperus esculentus) and purple (C. rotundus),
tion method, suitable for neutral to alkaline soils), or are the worst weed pests in carrots. Postemergence
greater than 70 ppm (by the Bray extraction method, herbicides control yellow nutsedge, but no herbicide
suitable for acid soils) require minimal phosphorus is registered for purple nutsedge control in carrots.
fertilization. Soils with very low soil phosphorus lev- Cultivation and preplant chemical treatments offer
els may require as much as 250 pounds of P2O5 per some control of nutsedges, and fallow summer treat-
acre (280 kg/ha). Likewise, potassium (K) fertilization ments can also be effective. Nutsedges do not compete
should be done on the basis of a soil test. Fields with with fall-planted carrots because nutsedge growth
exchangeable potassium greater than 100 ppm are slows and eventually ceases as temperatures cool
likely to respond positively to potassium fertilization, and as carrots provide more shade. Preemergence or
while fields with greater than 200 ppm exchangeable postemergence herbicides are available for control
potassium should not require potassium fertilization. of grass, cereal, and broadleaved weeds; chemicals
Application rates as high as 200 pounds of K2O per applied to control nematodes may also control weeds.
acre (225 kg/ha) may be justified in sandy soils with Consult your local UCCE Pest Control Farm Advisor
very low exchangeable potassium. for details.
3 • Carrot Production in California

Insect Identification and Control show symptoms. Fungicide applied preplant and in
two to three postplant applications reduces cavity
Crickets, grasshoppers, pale-striped flea beetle larvae
spot.
and adults, cutworms, and saltmarsh caterpillars can
Root rots of carrots can be caused by several plant
be serious pests of carrots by feeding on seedlings.
pathogens. Cottony soft rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum), a
Remove weeds in or near fields and disk in plant
problem in cool, moist conditions, is a cottony white
residue from infested fields to help keep flea beetle
mass of fungal growth around the base of the carrot.
populations low.
Large black sclerotia can be found in the fungal mass
Saltmarsh caterpillars (Estigmene acrea) are a
and on the carrot itself. It can be reduced by deep
problem in carrot fields planted next to a cotton field
plowing before planting and by chemical treatments.
that has been defoliated for harvest. Building trenches
Southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) favors warm
or other barriers at the border of the cotton field can
temperatures. It produces a low-lying dense mat of
stop the movement of these pests.
brown fungal growth on the soil surrounding the
Aphids (various species) can be serious pests of
carrot, with brown sclerotia located throughout the
carrots at all stages of development. Besides directly
fungal mat. It can be reduced by deep plowing before
feeding on carrots, they also vector several viral dis-
planting and rotating to nonhost crops such as small
eases. Chemical control is usually not required for
grains or corn.
aphids because naturally occurring predators and
Bacterial soft rot (Erwinia carotovora) can be rec-
parasites help keep their populations below eco-
ognized as a soft rot not associated with any fungal
nomic threshold levels. Field sanitation helps reduce
growth and accompanied by a foul odor. It occurs
the aphid population. Carrots should not be planted
in waterlogged soils during warm temperatures.
near cotton or melons to reduce the movement of the
Preparing the soil to eliminate low spots, increasing
cotton-melon aphid (Aphis gossypii) into carrot fields
drainage, and avoiding overwatering are control mea-
when these crops are harvested.
sures for all the soft rots.
Dense populations of adult silverleaf whitefly
Leaf blights are caused by several pathogens and
(Bemisia argentifolii) may immigrate into late-August
can be difficult to identify in the field. Alternaria
or September plantings of carrots in the low deserts
leaf blight (Alternaria dauci) can be very serious.
of southern California and may damage seedlings.
Symptoms appear as dark-brown to black necrotic
Whiteflies cause damage by removing plant sap.
lesions along the margins of the leaves and on the
Additionally, moderate to high populations of white-
petioles. Symptoms first appear on the older foliage
fly nymphs can contaminate foliage with honeydew
and then on younger leaves if warm, moist conditions
and sooty mold, reducing photosynthesis.
persist. Long-beaked, multicelled comidia can be seen
Disease Identification and Management with the aid of a microscope on the leaves and peti-
oles of diseased plants. Under a microscope, carrot
The fungi Pythium ultimum, P. irregulare, Rhizoctonia early blight (Cerocospora carotae) can be differentiated
solani, and Macrophomina spp. can cause forking, stub- from Alternaria leaf blight by the very thin threadlike
bing, and dieback in carrots. Soil fumigation can spores. C. carotae produces on the lesions.
reduce the amount of dieback in a field and can con- Bacterial blight (Xanthomonas campestris) symptoms
trol several other pests as well. Powdery mildew, a are slightly different from those of Alternaria leaf
fungal disease, can be a problem in areas with high blight in that the lesions are not as dark and may be
humidity and warm temperatures. Symptoms of surrounded by a yellow halo. Bacterial oozing may
powdery mildew are white powdery growths on the also be seen on the lesions present on the leaves and
upper surface of the leaves. Seedling damping-off can petioles. The bacterial exudates are particularly vis-
be the result of Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia solani, and ible on the flower stalks of plants that have bolted.
other soilborne fungal pathogens. Seed treatments Alternaria leaf blight and bacterial blight are seed-
and soil fumigation to control nematodes and/or borne diseases that can be avoided by planting seed
weeds can reduce damping-off pathogens. known to be disease free. Fungicides can be used for
Cavity spot can be a severe disease of carrots that control of early blight and Alternaria blight. Copper
can cause the loss of the entire crop. This disease is fungicides work best for bacterial blight, although
caused by the soilborne fungal pathogens Pythium this disease is rarely a serious problem.
violae and P. sulcatum. Small, brown, water-soaked The main symptoms of black root rot (Alternaria
lesions develop on the root surface and may enlarge radicina) are black lesions on the base of the petioles.
and open into a dry, sunken lesion as the carrot The lesions may extend down into the root, causing
matures. Cavity spot generally increases in fields with the characteristic “black crown.” Crop rotation may
a previous history of carrot plantings. Alfalfa is also reduce the spores in the soil; the spores are known
a host for P. violae, and carrots that follow alfalfa may to survive in the soil for more than 5 years without
4 • Carrot Production in California

a host. Plowing, to turn the spores under, has been expensive to remove and dispose of at the shed. For
shown to reduce the incidence of this disease in fields bunched carrots the beds are undercut and the carrots
with a history of black root rot. Fungicides can also be are hand-sorted in the field. The green tops are bound
used for control but must be directed at the canopy to with a wire twist tie, and the bunches are loaded onto
protect the petioles and crown. flatbed trucks and hauled to the shed for washing and
Two viruses affect carrots in California. Carrot packaging. Careful handling of carrots during and
motley dwarf is found in the cooler carrot-growing after harvest prevents bruising, shatter-cracks, and tip
regions along the central coast. Infected plants appear breaks and prolongs storage life.
stunted and have reddish tops. The disease is trans-
mitted by aphids to newly planted fields from previ- Postharvest Handling
ously infected overwintering fields and can be con- Before storage, carrots are generally washed and
trolled by avoiding planting near overwintering car- hydrocooled in clean water with 100 ppm chlorine
rot fields. Carrot thin leaf is another aphid-vectored at pH 6.5 to 7.5 before being packed in plastic-lined
viral disease that can spread from infected volunteer bins. Research has shown, however, that if carrots
carrots. Symptoms are the thin leaves that give the are to be stored for an extended period, carrot qual-
virus its name. Eliminating volunteer carrots reduces ity is highest and postharvest losses lowest if they are
the chances of the virus spreading into newly planted stored with the tops on, unwashed, and in plastic-
fields. lined bins. Topping and handling during washing
Nematodes increases cracking and scuffing damage, which leads
to increased rot. Unwashed storage has worked suc-
The root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.), the pri-
cessfully with harvests from light, sandy soils. Soil
mary nematode pest of carrots, causes stubbing, fork-
type, harvest conditions, and local experience should
ing, and galling of the roots. It is found in all carrot-
prevail in handling and storage decisions.
growing regions of California. Other nematode pests
Ideal storage conditions for carrots are 32ºF (0ºF) at
include the stubby root nematode (Trichodorus spp.
99 percent relative humidity (RH). Under these condi-
and Paratrichodorus spp.) and the needle nematode
tions, carrots have been stored successfully for more
(Longidorus africanus). Nematicides or soil fumigants
than 7 months with minimal losses (10 to 15 percent)
are used to control nematodes. Soil fumigants applied
due to dehydration and decay. At 33.8ºF (1ºC) and 98
by chemigation or injection into the soil may give
percent RH, the conditions common in most storage,
other benefits such as weed and soilborne disease
the maximum recommended storage is 5 months.
control. Crop rotation can also reduce these pests.
Carrots for the cut and peel market are generally
cut into 21-inch (5-cm) segments (“slugs”). These car-
Harvesting and Handling rots may be held in plastic-lined bins prior to peeling
Commercially grown carrots are harvested using and shaping and should have adequate air circu-
self-propelled multirow harvesters. Some machines lation and uniform temperature during storage to
can harvest more than 1,000 tons (907 t) of carrots per minimize decay and sprouting. Bunched carrots and
day (about 30 semi-truck loads). The 4-row machines forcing-type cut and peel carrots are highly perish-
dig two beds 42 inches (105 cm) wide per pass, lift able, especially with tops intact. They must be thor-
the roots using a system of belts, shear off the tops, oughly precooled to 32ºF (0ºC) and can be stored at
and deposit the roots into a waiting truck or trailer. this temperature at 99 percent RH for up to 2 weeks.
The carrots are then hauled to a shed for washing, Top icing, although not necessary with properly pre-
grading, sizing, and packing. In the Central Valley, cooled carrots, is often used for bunched carrots to
carrots are hauled a short distance, usually to sheds demonstrate that low temperature and high humidity
in Bakersfield, whereas carrots grown in the desert existed during transit.
may be hauled over 300 miles (480 km). The grower During storage and transportation, carrots should
pays part of the freight to the shed. On average, 40 to not be exposed to ethylene gas from propane-pow-
80 percent of all the carrots growing in the field are ered lift trucks or produce such as apples or pears.
harvested and “packed out.” Carrots that are dam- Ethylene induces the production of compounds that
aged by the harvester or by insects or are diseased, cause bitterness in carrots.
deformed, or off-color are culled.
Carrots may be grown specifically for the cut and Postharvest Disorders
peel market, or culled carrots may be cut and peeled. The most important storage decays of carrots are gray
Harvesting carrots for the minicarrot and cut and mold (Botrytis spp.), watery soft rot (Sclerotinia spp.),
peel market is difficult because of the high density of Rhizopus rot, bacterial soft rot (Erwinia spp.), and
roots. During harvesting, excess dirt may be picked sour rot (Geothrichurn spp.). Decay can be controlled
up, increasing the tare hauled to the shed. Dirt is also by proper storage and handling to prevent mechani-
5 • Carrot Production in California

cal injury (fluctuations in temperature during storage Bunched


promotes water condensation and decay). Whiteness 26-pound carton or crate
of the cut or peeled surface (“white blush”), common
on fresh-cut carrots (cut and peel, sticks, and coins), is Mini-carrots
caused by dehydration. Use sharp cutting blades and 20-pound carton of 1-pound cello bags
keep free moisture on work surfaces during packag-
ing to prevent this disorder. A white, edible coating 15-pound carton of twenty 12-oz cello bags
that reduces white blush has been developed that Fresh-cut
may be applied before packaging.
18-pound carton of 1- or 2-pound cello bags
Shipping Containers 9-pound carton of 1-pound cello bags
Shipping containers for the various types of processed
carrots are as follows. Marketing
Topped Carrots are shipped from California year-round.
• 50-pound carton or sack containing loose carrots Shipments are highest from December to August.
or ten 5-pound film (cello) bags California produces about 85 percent of all car-
• 40-pound carton of 1-pound cello bags rots grown in the United States. Colorado, Florida,
• 26-pound carton of bunched carrots Michigan, Texas, and Washington are other impor-
• 25-pound carton of loose carrots tant carrot-producing states. Major carrot imports
• 24-pound carton of 1-pound cello bags come from Canada and Mexico.
• 15-pound carton of twenty 12-ounce cello bags

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