Purple is the New Orange

The UC Desert Research and Extension Center (REC) is located in Holtville, California-a city dubbed the “Carrot Capital of the World”. While the city of Holtville spends the first 2 weeks of February celebrating the infamous carrot with weeklong activities including cooking contests and a carrot parade, just up the road, the UC Desert REC hosts the winter plantings of the USDA's carrot breeding program, which is based at the University of Wisconsin. Since the 1960s, these carrot variety trials provide a first look at up-and-coming new hybrids from the seed industry and draw attendees including major growers and seed companies.

Due to its mild winter temperatures and access to water, Desert REC is the primary site for developing and testing USDA carrot breeding stock.  The work of Dr. Phillip Simon, who holds a joint position with USDA's Agriculture Research Service (ARS) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Horticulture Department, has contributed to today's carrot providing 50% more vitamin A to US consumers than in 1990.

While the orange carrot is a standard in carrot varieties, it is actually a more recent carrotvarietal. The purple and yellow carrots were the original carrot colors and these novel colored carrots (ie purple, yellow, and red) are becoming increasingly popular among consumers and chefs again.  Each color has a different health benefit and nutritional value. Dr. Simon's research includes the development of novel colored carrot strains with increased nutritional values, such as carotenoids and anthocyanins.

Dr. Simon has partnered with the UC DREC Farm Smart program to offer outreach and educational program focused on expanded awareness of carrots and carrot diversity. Starting in 2016, the Farm Smart outreach has included presentations to teachers and classrooms, taste testing of the novel colored carrots, curriculum and seed distribution to educators, and carrot harvesting and tours for youth and adult participants.

Click here to read more about the carrot outreach at Farm Smart   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on DREC and its educational program, please contact our Center Director, Jairo Diaz at jdiazr@ucanr.edu or our Farm Smart Program Manager, Stacey Amparano, at scwills@ucanr.edu. You can also reach us at (760)356-3060

For further reading:

DREC Carrot Trial Results Since 1998:

Carrot Facts

CalAg Journal: Desert REC: Educational outreach and crop breeding by Jim Downing