Seed Production of Annual Carrots (Daucus carota L.) in South Uruguay

Abstract

Seed production of annual carrot landraces (L) was characterized through case studies, interviewing eleven family farmers and evaluating ten seed producing fields. L were multiplied for 15 to 45 years. Most farmers select roots by external orange color, cylindrical shape, round tip and narrow insertion of the leafy top. 27% select by inner orange color. The roots are planted between August and early September. Among these farmers, 27% apply chemical fertilizers and 55% organic amendments. They plant 31000 to 39200 plants per hectare, at distances between 25 to 35 cm. Plants grow freely (not tutored). They do not consider isolation distances and do not place hives. The larger umbels are harvested between mid-December and midJanuary. Most farmers (73%) store umbels without threshing in bags hung up from the roof, whereas 27% of the farmers store threshed seeds. Seeds are stored up to three years. The main problems identified in the seed crops were aphids, plant loses, root rots, plant lodging, and decreasing seed germination during storage. The average number of umbels per plant was one as primary order, 10 as secondary order, and 18 as tertiary order. The average seed production per plant was 55 g, within a 30- 87 g range, corresponding 16% for primary order, 68% for secondary and 16% for tertiary. Weight of 1000 seeds was 2,1 g, 1,7 g and 1,6 g, whereas germination percentage was 86, 82 and 77% respectively.