With more than 50 varieties of carrots to choose from, picking the right one to grow successfully in Hawaiʻi can be a daunting task.
To offer hands-on guidance on selecting the most productive carrot, and address the public’s interest for learning more, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) Oʻahu County Extension agents held a workshop at the Poamoho Experiment Station on August 5.
Agents Jensen Uyeda and Koon-Hui Wang of the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences met with more than 30 growers and community members to share what carrot varieties grow best, in addition to management practices—such as fertility, nematode (plant parasites) control and irrigation—to help growers overcome challenges related to growing carrots. Each participant was able to observe carrots available in the field, as well as harvest varieties they were interested in tasting.
“It was so enjoyable seeing all the participants with arms full of carrots that they themselves pulled from the field,” said Uyeda. “Hopefully, this sparks more interest in growing carrots, and will help increase the success of carrot production in Hawaiʻi.”
The field day followed a successful trial by CTAHR Extension to evaluate 20 carrot varieties (five red, one purple and 14 orange) to determine their viability for production in the state. Based on this trial and evaluation, CTAHR Extension was able to recommend to community members one purple, two red and six orange varieties, based on weight, length of root and resistance to nematodes, which cause damage to carrot crops.
Uyeda and other CTAHR Extension agents plan to conduct additional variety trials to identify new, more productive varieties and management practices to help commercial producers continue or expand their production.
