Consistency of long-term marketable yield of carrot and onion cultivars in muck (organic) soil in relation to seasonal weather

Abstract

To identify carrot and onion cultivars that provide consistent marketable yields, we tracked the yields of five fresh market carrot [(Daucus carota L. subsp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang.] and six onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivars for at least 13 yr. Relationships between long-term weather variables and marketable yields were also investigated. The effects of cultivar, year and cultivar × year interactions on yield of carrots and onions were assessed. Cultivar and year had significant effects on carrot and onion yields, while the interaction was significant in only one of four data sets of carrot yield. Carrot cv. Cellobunch (95.4 t ha–1) and onion cv. Corona (74.1 t ha–1) had the highest mean marketable yields over the years studied. There was a slight positive correlation between mean yield of the assessed carrots and maximum temperatures in September (r = 0.44). Mean carrot yield was also somewhat negatively correlated with total rainfall in July (r = –0.43) and with number of days with rain in August (r = –0.43) and September (r = –0.44). Most onion cultivars showed stronger relationships between marketable yield and various weather patterns. Marketable yield of onions increased with an increase in the number of days with rainfall in June (r = 0.57). The mean marketable yield of the six onion cultivars decreased in relation to temperatures ≥30°C in June (r = –0.55) and August (r = –0.53). The mean yield of all the onions in the trials was negatively correlated (r = –0.78) with growing degree days (base 5°C, May to August). The results indicated that the data from long-term cultivar trials can be used to identify cultivars that yield well despite seasonal variations in weather. Key words: Daucus carota, Allium cepa, temperature, rainfall