Uploaded April 2017 | Updated September 2026, 26 minutes ago
Description:
Modern carrot improvement began with the discovery of cytoplasmic male sterility in the 1940’s and 1950’s, which is essential for hybrid breeding. As an outcrossing diploid with substantial allelic diversity available in both cultivated and wild germplasm, that diversity has been important for improvements in marketable yield, disease and pest resistance, flavor and appearance that contribute to modern high-value carrot products like “baby” carrots. Modern breeding to improve carrot nutritional content, attributable to carrot’s orange carotenoid pigments that are precursors of vitamin A, has been particularly successful with the current contribution of carrot to the US diet today approximately 50% higher than in 1970. Substantial improvements in breeding for pest resistance and for adaptation to warmer climates have also been realized. Current efforts expand carrot breeding in developing the crop for a wider range of biotic and abiotic stress, and for new conventional and low-input markets. The recent sequencing of the carrot genome provides a foundation to accelerate the genetic improvement of the carrot crop. For content questions, email Philipp.Simon@ARS.USDA.GOV
Description:
Modern carrot improvement began with the discovery of cytoplasmic male sterility in the 1940’s and 1950’s, which is essential for hybrid breeding. As an outcrossing diploid with substantial allelic diversity available in both cultivated and wild germplasm, that diversity has been important for improvements in marketable yield, disease and pest resistance, flavor and appearance that contribute to modern high-value carrot products like “baby” carrots. Modern breeding to improve carrot nutritional content, attributable to carrot’s orange carotenoid pigments that are precursors of vitamin A, has been particularly successful with the current contribution of carrot to the US diet today approximately 50% higher than in 1970. Substantial improvements in breeding for pest resistance and for adaptation to warmer climates have also been realized. Current efforts expand carrot breeding in developing the crop for a wider range of biotic and abiotic stress, and for new conventional and low-input markets. The recent sequencing of the carrot genome provides a foundation to accelerate the genetic improvement of the carrot crop. For content questions, email Philipp.Simon@ARS.USDA.GOV
