Articles
Yield and quality traits of early carrot as affected by genotype and harvest time
Article number
1458_30
Pages
227 – 234
Language
English
Abstract
In southern Italy, the cultivation of early carrots relies on a few cultivars (Nantes types) characterized by orange roots, tolerance to early vernalization, and prolonged field quality.
This last characteristic is beneficial in regulating the product’s presence in the market, enabling growers to adjust their harvests according to market demand.
Nevertheless, the introduction of novel product typologies appears essential to broaden appreciation of the product in European markets and better cater to the preferences of evolving consumers.
For these reasons, a field experiment was conducted in Sicily (southern Italy), to address the effects of two harvest times (183 vs. 197 days after sowing, hereafter T1 and T2) on root yield and quality traits of the carrots ‘Dordogne’ (orange root), ‘Mello Yello’ (yellow) and ‘Purple Sun’ (purple). Irrespective of the harvest time, ‘Dordogne’ and ‘Mello Yello’ proved the highest root yield (on average 69.1 t ha‑1), whereas marketable yield was higher at T2 than at T1 (60.6 vs. 56.2 t ha‑1). Concerning the quality traits, root dry matter, total soluble solids (TSS), and titratable acidity peaked in ‘Purple Sun’ (12.46%, 9.55 °Brix, and 0.016% of MAE); additionally, TSS was higher at T2 than at T1 (8.91 vs. 8.11 °Brix, on average). Passing from T1 to T2, ‘Purple Sun’ displayed a significant decrease in total carotenoids (50 vs. 29 mg kg‑1 FW, -42%), and a concurrent increase in total phenolic content (2,391 vs. 3,275 µmol CGAE kg‑1 FW, +37%), and antioxidant activity (2,108 vs. 2,634 µmol TE kg‑1 FW, +25%). These results provide important information on the potential contribution of novel product typologies in southern Italy to improving product diversification, root yield, and functional traits of off-season carrots intended for fresh consumption.
This last characteristic is beneficial in regulating the product’s presence in the market, enabling growers to adjust their harvests according to market demand.
Nevertheless, the introduction of novel product typologies appears essential to broaden appreciation of the product in European markets and better cater to the preferences of evolving consumers.
For these reasons, a field experiment was conducted in Sicily (southern Italy), to address the effects of two harvest times (183 vs. 197 days after sowing, hereafter T1 and T2) on root yield and quality traits of the carrots ‘Dordogne’ (orange root), ‘Mello Yello’ (yellow) and ‘Purple Sun’ (purple). Irrespective of the harvest time, ‘Dordogne’ and ‘Mello Yello’ proved the highest root yield (on average 69.1 t ha‑1), whereas marketable yield was higher at T2 than at T1 (60.6 vs. 56.2 t ha‑1). Concerning the quality traits, root dry matter, total soluble solids (TSS), and titratable acidity peaked in ‘Purple Sun’ (12.46%, 9.55 °Brix, and 0.016% of MAE); additionally, TSS was higher at T2 than at T1 (8.91 vs. 8.11 °Brix, on average). Passing from T1 to T2, ‘Purple Sun’ displayed a significant decrease in total carotenoids (50 vs. 29 mg kg‑1 FW, -42%), and a concurrent increase in total phenolic content (2,391 vs. 3,275 µmol CGAE kg‑1 FW, +37%), and antioxidant activity (2,108 vs. 2,634 µmol TE kg‑1 FW, +25%). These results provide important information on the potential contribution of novel product typologies in southern Italy to improving product diversification, root yield, and functional traits of off-season carrots intended for fresh consumption.
Authors
C. Cannata, F. Basile, F. Giuffrida, C. Leonardi, F. Adorna, R.P. Mauro
Keywords
Daucus carota L., cultivars, coloured carrots, carrot quality, nutraceutical traits
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