Crop Profile for Carrots in Oregon
Prepared October, 2000
General Production Information
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Oregon ranks 8th nationally in producing carrots for processing.
Oregon’s processed carrots represent 2.3 % of total U.S. production.
In 1996, Oregon farmers grew over 350 acres of carrots. But the planted acreage varies greatly
from year to year. In 1995, there were 1,400 acres of fresh market carrots and 780 of processing
carrots; in 1993, Willamette Valley growers produced 800 acres and Columbia Basin farmers
grew 700 acres of carrots (8). The value of fresh carrot production was $6,307,000 in 1998. This
ranked them 40th for Oregon commodities.
Western Oregon processed carrots cost farmers $679.17 per acre to grow; Eastern Oregon
producers had costs of $1,342.44 per acre.
Carrots for processing are canned or frozen as baby whole, sliced, or diced. Fresh market carrots
are bunched, cello-packed, or "manufactured" into baby carrots. True baby carrots are difficult to
produce, harvest, and handle. In the Pacific Northwest, most carrot acreage produces carrots for
processing.
Production Regions
Western Oregon's Willamette Valley is home to the largest carrot growing areas. Lane County has the
most acres, followed by Marion County. However, reportable acreages are found all over the state.
Curry County on the coast and Deschutes County in Central Oregon exemplify the state's widely
scattered growing regions (3).
Cultural Practices
Carrots are annuals grown from seed. Growers seed the fields as early as mid-March and as late as early
July. They harvest fresh-market carrots from early July to September. Processing carrots can be
The Crop Profile/PMSP database, including this document, is supported by USDA NIFA.
harvested from the first of August until the end of November. The most popular carrots for processing
are ‘Danvers,’ ‘Chantenay,’ and ‘Nantes.’ Carrots are usually grown in multiple rows in raised beds.
Crops grow best in well-drained soils with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. Western Oregon crops need 14–16 inches
of water; Eastern Oregon crops require 20–125 inches. Moisture management is especially important
during stand establishment and during root expansion (4, 5, 8).
Insect Pests
Chemical controls
A 1998 National Agricultural Statistics Service survey found insecticides used on 42% of fresh carrots
and 45% of processed carrots (11).
Oregon growers used insecticides on 1,500 acres of carrots in 1993 (9).
Insecticide Brand name
Area
treated
(%)
Number of
applications
Pounds per
acre per
application
Pounds
per acre
per
Total
application
(by 1,000 lb)
crop year
carbaryl
Sevin
3
0.06
diazinon
diazinon
46
0.700
malathion
malathion
9
0.110
Go to http://www.orst.edu/Dept/NWREC/carrot-e.html for information on insect control for carrots (5).
Diseases
Chemical controls
A 1998 National Agricultural Statistics Service survey found that growers applied fungicides to 64% of
fresh carrots and 60% of processed carrots (11).
Fungicides used on 1,500 acres of carrots in 1993 (9):
Fungicide
Brand
name
Area
treated
(%)
Number of
applications
Pounds per
acre per
application
Pounds
per acre
per
Total
application
(by 1,000 lb)
crop year
chlorothalonil
Bravo
11
0.2
copper
copper
55
0.9
iprodione
Rovral
3
0.03
metalaxyl
Ridomil
23
0.6
Disease management options are found at http://pnwhandbooks.orst.edu/ guide1998/index.htm (7).
Cultural controls
The use of raised beds has been reported to reduce the incidence of cavity spot. Alfalfa, wheat,
cauliflower, broccoli, celery, cucumber, sugarbeet, and watermelon can serve as hosts for carrot diseases
and should not precede carrot plantings (4).
Nematodes
Chemical controls
Fumigants used on 1,500 acres of carrots in 1993 (9):
Fumigants
Brand
name
Area
treated
(%)
Number of
applications
Pounds per
acre per
application
Pounds
per acre
per
Total
application
(by 1,000 lb)
crop year
1,3-dichloroproene
Telone
5
8.40
Other
Crop profiles for carrots grown in California, Florida, Michigan, Washington, and Wisconsin are found
at http://pestdata.ncsu.edu/cropprofiles/start.html (accessed June 2000).
Weeds
Weed control in carrots depends on preparing a fine seedbed that begins with soil that has no established
or germinating weeds prior to planting. Wild carrot, pigweed, lambsquarters, nightshade, and yellow
nutsedge are primary concerns along with annual grasses when present (10).
Chemical controls
A 1998 National Agricultural Statistics Service survey found that growers applied herbicides to 92% of
the fresh carrots and 88% of the processed carrots (11).
This table shows herbicides used on 1,500 acres of carrots in 1993 (9).
Herbicide
Brand
name
Area
treated
(%)
Number of
applications
Pounds per
acre per
application
Pounds
per acre
per
Total
application
(by 1,000 lb)
crop year
fluazifopbutyl
Fusilade
2000
11
0.025
linuron
Lorox
74
2.20
trifluralin
Treflan
65
0.65
Details of weed management in carrots can be found at http://www.orst.edu/dept/hort/ weeds/carrots.htm
(6).
Cultural controls
Growers integrate crop rotation, cover crops, seedbed preparation, cultivation, and selective herbicides
for weed control. When spring weather encourages drying just before the carrots emerge, various
mechanical weeders can improve initial weed control (10).
Post harvest
Instead of planting wheat, farmers can grow carrots, which they rotate with cereal cover crops for grass
seed production (10).
Contacts
Jim Gill
NORPAC Foods, Inc.
930 W. Washington
Stayton, OR 97383-0458
503-291-1510
John McCulley
Oregon Processed Vegetable Commission
P.O. Box 2042
Salem, OR 97308-2042
[email protected]
Dan McGrath
Marion County Extension
3180 Center St. NE, Room 1361
Salem, OR 97301
[email protected]
Bob McReynolds
North Willamette Research & Extension Center
15210 NE Miley Road
Aurora, OR 97001
[email protected]
Cindy Ocamb
Botany and Plant Pathology
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
[email protected]
Craig Smith
Northwest Food Processors
6950 SW Hampton St.
Suite 340
Portland, OR 97223
[email protected]
Ray William
Horticulture
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
[email protected]
References
1. Crop Profile for Commodity in State. http://pestdata.ncsu.edu/CropProfiles/ instructions.html
(accessed Feb 1999).
2. 1998–1999 Oregon Agriculture & Fisheries Statistics; Oregon Agricultural Statistics Service, U.
S. Department of Agriculture: Portland, OR, December 1999.
3. Census of Agriculture: 1997, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Government
Information Sharing Project. http://govinfo.library.orst.edu/ (accessed May 2000).
4. Carrots--Western Oregon, Commercial Vegetable Production Guide, Oregon State University,
North Willamette Research and Extension Center. http://www.orst.edu/Dept/NWREC/carrot-w.
html (accessed May 2000).
5. Carrots--Eastern Oregon, Commercial Vegetable Production Guide, Oregon State University,
North Willamette Research and Extension Center. http://www.orst.edu/Dept/NWREC/carrot-e.
html (accessed May 2000).
6. Carrot Herbicides, OSU, WSU, & UI Extensions Cooperating. http://www.orst.edu/dept/hort/
weeds/carrots.htm (accessed May 2000).
7. An Online Guide to Plant Disease Control, Oregon State University. http://plant-disease.orst.edu/
index.htm (accessed Sept 2000).
8. Markle, G. M.; Baron, J. J.; Schneider, B. A. Food and Feed Crops of the United States, Second
Edition; Meister Publishing Co.: Willoughby, OH, 1998.
9. Rinehold, J.; Jenkins, J. J. Oregon Pesticide Use Estimates for Vegetable Crops, 1993; EM 8643;
Oregon State University Extension Service: Corvallis, OR, August 1994.
10. William, R., Horticulture, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR. Personal communication, July
2000.
11. 1998 Agricultural Chemical Use Estimates for Vegetable Crops, Crop Report, July 22, 1999;
http://www.oda.state.or.us/oass/vegchem_99.htm (accessed May 2000).
Acknowledgements
This crop profile was prepared by P. Thomson, W. Parrott, and J. Jenkins, Agricultural Chemistry
Extension, Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology, Oregon State University
and reviewed by R. William, Horticulture, Oregon State University.
Database and web development by the NSF Center for Integrated Pest Managment located at North Carolina State
University. All materials may be used freely with credit to the USDA.