Making Progress – Carrot Country

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Photos courtesy USDA-ARS

Mello Yello from Bejo Seeds was among the 40 novel carrot hybrids in the trial.

Carrot breeders appear to be making some progress in their work to breed nematode-resistant carrots. Carrots with nematode resistance were among the promising results of the 2022 USDA-ARS Hybrid Carrot Trial. Specifically, a few carrot hybrids that have nematode resistance, such as numbered lines C2145 and C208, did well in the cello category of the trial. Breeding nematode-resistant carrots is an ongoing goal of the USDA-ARS carrot research program in Madison, Wisconsin.

This entry from Pop Vriend was one of the 40 cultivars in the baby carrot category.

Carrots grown in the trial were on display and evaluated in late September at the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison. Entries included 40 baby, 35 cello and 40 novel carrot hybrids from various seed companies and the USDA cooperative breeding program.

This entry, C208, is a carrot hybrid with nematode resistance that did well in the cello category of the trial.

The trial was grown on sand at Paul Miller Farms near the University of Wisconsin Hancock Research Station. In general, the growing conditions were typical for the area with the exception of a cold, wet spring. There was also a heavy rain shortly after planting that caused the loss of a few plots.