About the Carrot Improvement for Organic Agriculture Project

Carrot Improvement for Organic Agriculture (CIOA) is a long-term breeding project that addresses the critical needs of organic carrot farmers by developing orange and novel colored carrots with improved disease and nematode resistance, improved weed competitiveness, and improved nutritional value and flavor. The project was awarded funding by the USDA NIFA OREI program in 2011, 2016 and 2021.

This project will also compare the relative performance of breeding material in organic versus conventional environments and investigate whether some carrot varieties perform better under organic soil conditions.

Organic growers require vegetable varieties that are adapted to organic growing conditions and hold market qualities demanded by the organic consumer including superior nutrition and exceptional flavor. In carrots, work has been done to identify and breed for nutritionally superior varieties across multiple color classes including orange, red, purple and yellow. These varieties are in high demand and in a high value crop, however much of this germplasm has not been improved for organic systems in general. Organic producers need varieties that germinate rapidly with good seedling vigor, compete with weeds, resist pests, are efficient at nutrient uptake and are broadly adapted to organic growing conditions. The Carrot Improvement for Organic Agriculture project will deliver improved carrot varieties; improved understanding of the farming systems influence (organic vs. conventional) on variety performance; and develop a breeding model adaptable to other crops for organic systems. 

While significant progress has been made in carrot breeding to improve nutritional value, flavor, and disease resistance for conventional production systems, the majority of the conventional U.S. crop is threatened due to loss of chemical fumigants and sprays to control nematodes and alternaria leaf blight, and organic production has no obvious means for economical carrot production when either of these pests threaten the crop. 

CIOA3: Leveraging On-Farm and Below Ground Networks

Carrot Improvement for Organic Agriculture 3: Leveraging On-Farm and Below Ground Networks (CIOA3) builds upon accomplishments of the CIOA1 and CIOA2 projects which were funded by OREI. Plant breeding is long-term work, and the proposed project will maximize impacts of prior research efforts by delivering new, improved carrot cultivars and breeding lines to the organic seed trade; developing new breeding populations that combine critical traits identified during CIOA1 and CIOA2; expanding participatory networks to test and improve diverse carrot germplasm and finished cultivars, advancing materials in diverse organic environments; and expanding our understanding of positive genetic-by-soil microbial interactions, thereby leveraging the potential to breed for nutrient use efficiency, disease resistance, and storage quality.  

The long-term goals of this project are to: 

1. deliver carrot cultivars with improved disease and nematode resistance, improved nutrient acquisition, seedling vigor and weed competitive traits, increased marketable yield, superior nutritional value, flavor and other culinary qualities, and storage quality for organic production; 
2. leverage healthy soil microbiomes to promote nutrient use efficiency, prevent pests, and improve the nutritional quality and storability of carrot roots; 
3. inform growers about cultivar performance to maximize organic carrot production, markets, and organic seed usage; 
4. inform consumers about the positive environmental impact of organic production systems and about carrot nutritional quality, flavor, and culinary attributes;
5. train undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctorate students in critical organic agriculture issues. 

Expected Results and Outcomes

The expected outcomes will have immediate positive economic impacts for growers by reducing weeding labor needs, pest control and fertility costs, and overall crop losses due to diseases and pests, as well as increasing nutrient acquisition in limiting environments. Decreased dependence on plant protection chemicals, off-farm fertility inputs, and intensive production practices will bring broad environmental benefits. Seed companies and producers will benefit from increased offerings of new novel and orange cultivars that are nutritionally superior and developed for organic production systems. Seed companies and producers will also benefit from improved Alternaria leaf blight, cavity spot, and root-knot nematode resistance. Consumer-preferred quality traits will be selected intensively during this project, resulting in new, highly nutritious, flavorful carrots with long-term health benefits for the organic market.