🥕 Carrot

Cultivation, Important Points

Daccus carota
Family: Umbelifereae
Origin: Afganistan
Carrot is an annual crop for root production and biennial for flowering and fruit set.
Kanji (fermented beverage is prepared from black carrot)

Two groups of carrot – (A) Tropical (B) Temperate
Temperate type form roots both under temperate and tropical climate but seed setting only in temperate climate.
Asiatic type - high yielder but poor in quality and carotene and rich in anthocyanin.
European - Orange coloured, rich in carotene, stump and blunting core. Yellow and Purple colours of cultivars due to anthachlor and Anthocyan in pigments.
Temperate are biennial, whereas tropical types are annual.
Carrot is an annual herb for root production and biennial for flowering and fruit set.
Tropical/Asiatic
- Pusa kesar: suitable for early sowing
- Pusa meghali: highest vitamin A
Temperate/ European
- Pusa Yamdagini
- Chantenay: Suitable for procession and storage (canning)
- Zeno: Suitable for Nillgiri hills, introduced from Germany.
- Danvers
- Nantes half long
- Early Nantes
Selection: Hissar Garlic
Hybrid:
- Imperator: Nantes x Chantenay
- Pusa Kesar: Local red x Nantes half long
- Pusa Meghali: Pusa Kesar X Nantes
- Pusa Yamdagni: EC-9981 x Names
- Ooty-1
Kashi Krishna is the latest released variety of black carrot developed by IIVR, Varanshi.

Beet Root

Botanical Name: Beta vulgaris
Fainily: Chenopodiaceae
Origin: Mediterranean region
Colour of root is due to presence of
- Red Violet pigment → β - cyanins
- Yellow pigment → β - xanthins
Varieties:
- Detroit dark red
- Crimson Globe
- Early wonder
- Crosby Egyptian
Inflorescence - Spike
Beet root doesn’t have any Indian variety.
A gram of seed ball counts about 50 seeds.
Most productive at 20-22°C.
Thinning is compulsory in beet root.
Beets are harvested when they attain a diameter of 3.5 cm.
Beet root is a rich source of folic acid, essential for pregnant women to reduce risk of spina bifida.