Carrot Yield when Grown under Three Soil Water Concentrations

Abstract

`Orlando Gold' carrots (Daucus carota L.) were grown in plastic containers filled with an organic soil and placed in a greenhouse in the fall and spring. Three (high, medium, and low) soil water concentrations of 48% (low), 54% (medium), and 60% (high) were used. The number of marketable roots was higher following the fall than the spring planting. The high and low soil water concentrations significantly reduced the number of marketable roots over the medium concentration, but only the high concentration reduced the total marketable weight in both plantings. Application of the high soil water concentration reduced root length but not width measured at 2.5 cm below the crown relative to the medium and low soil water concentrations. Carrots will produce marketable roots when grown in a wide range of soil water concentrations, but the high concentration reduced yield more than the low concentration.