Carrot (Daucus carota L)
Umbelliferae

Varieties
Hills
Ooty-1, Early Nantes and New Korda are suitable for cultivation in hilly areas.

Ooty-1

Plains
India Gold, Pusa Kesar and Half Long Danvers can be cultivated.

Soil
Carrot is a cool season crop and will develop a good colour when grown at 15°C to 20°C. The crop needs deep loose loamy soil.  It requires a pH ranging from 6.0 to 7.0 for higher production.

Season
Hills
Carrot can be grown throughout the year at an elevation above 1500 metres with assured irrigation. At elevations between 1000 – 1500 metres, it can be grown during July – February.

Plains
Planting can be done during August.

Seed rate
About 4 kg/ha is required.

Preparation of field

Hills
Prepare the land to a fine tilth and form raised beds of one metre breadth and convenient length.

Plains
Two ploughings are given and ridges and furrows are formed at 30 cm spacing.

Sowing
Mark the rows with spacing of 25 – 30 cm apart. Sow the seeds mixed with sand (one part of seed with 4 parts of sand).

Thinning
Hills
A spacing of 10 cm between plants
Plains
A spacing of 5 cm between plants

Irrigation
Irrigation is done once in five days.

Application of fertilizers
30 t/ha FYM and 90:90:90 kg/ha NPK are applied as basal dose and 45:45:45 kg/ha NPK after 45 days of sowing. Apply 25 kg of ZnSO4/ha as basal.

After cultivation
Spray Fluchloralin 1 lit a.i./ha immediately after sowing the seeds to control weeds or the first weeding to be done on 15th day of sowing.  Thinning and earthing up should be given on 30th day.

Splitting of roots is a physiological disorder which is usually seen when there is a sudden increase in soil moisture after prolonged drought. Forking is another phenomenon where in the hard soil does not allow the straight growth of tap root which results in formation of forked root. Forked roots and split roots fetch poor price in market. Keeping the soil moisture at optimum condition will help to keep the soil also loose thereby help to avoid splits and forked roots.

Plant protection
Carrot is not much affected by pests.

Nematode
Application of neem cake @ 1 ton/ha at planting to control root knot nematode, Meloidogyne spp.

Diseases

Leaf spot
Leaf spot can be controlled by spraying Mancozeb at 2 g/lit.

Yield
25 – 30 t/ha in 100 – 120 days.

Market Information

Updated on : 26.08.2013