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Story and photos by Kevser Ozel, University of Wisconsin
Philipp Simon with the USDA Vegetable Crops Research Unit hosted the annual Carrot Hybrids Field Trial and Showcase at the University of California Desert Research and Extension Center in El Centro, California, March 2-4. The trial consisted of 220 plots. Individuals from the global carrot community including growers as well as representatives from the seed industry, non-profit organizations and universities were invited to send seeds of their “cello,” “baby” and “novel” carrot varieties to be evaluated for horticultural quality. The trial also included hybrid and inbred carrot lines developed in Simon’s breeding program, including those that will soon be publicly available for seed requests.
The carrot community was then invited to the trial showcase to evaluate their lines and rate the plots based on horticultural desirability. Approximately 50 representatives from across the global carrot community participated. Overall, the trial showcased impressive, colorful and horticulturally appealing baby, novel and cello type carrots, which reflected the efforts in carrot breeding.
