Morphological features of plants of carrot leaves carrot plants including the leaves are compound, pinnate double two or three and stemmed. Her short stems so almost invisible, round, somewhat loud and 1-1.5 cm in diameter. Carrots have a taproot and fibers. The flowers grow at the end of the crop and double umbrella-shaped white and pink rather pale. Carrot seeds are seeds covered and shaped into pieces of two-color with a length of 3 mm and 1.5 mm. While the tuber is formed of a taproot changed into a backup storage of foods such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.
There are several factors that influence the growth of carrots such as soil, temperature, precipitation, humidity, and solar radiation intensity. Carrots are usually grown on soil with good soil structure texture like andosol, alluvial, regosol and latosol usually found in the highlands but also can be cultivated in the lowlands. While the degree of acidity of the soil is suitably 5.5 - 6.5. temperature also affects primarily on metabolic processes, photosynthesis, transpiration, enzyme activity, absorption, absorption of nutrients and others. The optimum temperature for growth of carrots is 15.6 - 21.1 ° C, but if at a temperature of 26 ° C with a height of 500 m above sea level will produce tubers that are less satisfactory. While the temperature is too high will produce tubers are short and small. Precipitation also affect the productivity of the plant carrots, if the water shortage will hinder growth meal. Areas suitable for growing carrots is an area that has a wet climate (15-3 dry months in a year) and the climate is rather moist (3 - 4.5 months dry within 1 year) but carrot also tolerant of climate is very wet (0 - 1.5 dry months in one year). Air humidity suitable for growing carrots is 80 -90%. In addition, the intensity of solar radiation also affect the process of photosynthesis. The plants will show symptoms such etiolation grow elongated, thin, weak and pale when less sunlight. Such conditions cause the plants will form a tuber.
Things - things done in planting carrots are:
Preparation of seed:
To obtain optimal results, the source of seeds into the carrot seed should qualify as the plants grow lush and strong, is derived from the short-lived species, uniform shape, free of pests and diseases (healthy), and high production. The procedure for the preparation of carrot seeds are Choosing a good carrot seed that is derived from the varieties, pure and high kecambahnya power (over 90%). Rub the carrot seeds by using both hands to seed between one and the other attaches no. Carrot seeds soak in cold water for 12 -24 hours or in a nail Hangan water (60 ° C) for 15 minutes. The aim is to speed up the germination process. Drain carrot seeds in a container and carrot seeds are ready to be planted in soil.
Seeding
Carrot seed is sown directly in the soil planting, spread evenly on beds or with dicicir elongated in a row. Row spacing of about 15 cm, then if it has grown to be done so that the thinning of carrot plants within 3-5 cm of each other. Carrot seeds will begin to germinate after 8-12 days. The pile formation
Cultivate the land using a hoe until crumbly soil structure increases. Beds-beds created with width 120-150 cm, height 30-40 cm, while the distance between beds is 50-60 cm and length depending on the state of the land.
Liming
Liming is done when the pH of acidic soils under 5 is by sprinkling lime materials such as Calcit, Dolomite or Zeagro 1 evenly on the soil surface. Lime dosage in the range of 0.75 to 10.24 tonnes / ha. mixing chalk with top soil (top soil) while inverted until completely evenly. If it does not rain, which had been limed soil should be watered until quite wet.
Planting techniques
Garden soil that has been dug as deep as 30-40 cm, made beds of plants as wide as ± 100 cm and also made guritan a distance of ± 20 cm. How to planting carrot seeds, namely through the stages as follows: Spread or sprinkle carrot seeds evenly in the grooves / kerf-kerf already available. Closing carrot seeds with thin soil that is as deep as 0.5-1 cm. making shallow grooves are 5cm from the seed row direction (lengthwise) to lay the basic fertilizer. Type of fertilizer given a mixture of TSP ± 400 kg (± 200 kg P2 O5 / ha) and KCl 150 kg (± 75 kg K2O / ha). spread the fertilizer evenly, then cover them with a thin soil. closes each kerf (groove) with dry leaves or banana leaf midrib for ± 7-10 days to prevent runoff carrot seeds by sprinkling water and also serves to maintain the stability of soil moisture. After carrot seeds grown in the ground, then cover was soon reopened.
Plant Maintenance
Carrot plant maintenance by performing thinning and replanting, weeding, pembubunan, fertilization, and irrigation and watering the plants carrots. carrot plants require adequate water in the early phase of growth, so it needs to be watered (irrigated) continuously ie 1-2 times a day, especially during the dry season. The type of fertilizer used in the subsequent fertilization is urea or ZA. Dose of urea fertilizer used is 100 kg / ha or ZA 200 kg / ha. Timing of supplementary fertilizer can be carried out simultaneously with the weeding activities, namely when the plant carrot ages 1 month. Fertilizing good way is to spread evenly in the grooves or incorporated into a manure pit (drill) 5-10 cm depth of carrots, then covered with soil and watered or irrigated until slightly damp.
Plant Pests and Diseases
Pests that attack crops of carrots is ground caterpillar (Agrotis ipsilon Hufn.), Aphids (aphids, Aphis spp.), Flies or larvae you see (Psila Rosae). While the disease that often attacks the plant carrots is Cercospora leaf spot, root nodule Nematodes, Alternaria Rot. Chemical control can be done using the insecticide Furadan 3 G or 3 G Indofuran at the time of planting or sprayed with Hostathion 40 EC and others at the recommended concentration.
Harvesting
Carrots can be harvested after 100 days, depending on its type. Harvesting should not be delayed because the tubers will increasingly harden (woody) and is not preferred by consumers.
Harvest done by pulling the entire plant and its tubers and roots or soil advance to the harvesting process easier. Harvesting should be done the morning in order to be marketed.
Post-harvest: choose good bulbs and separate the bulbs are broken, flawed, and foul. After that store the harvest of carrots on the container or room temperature is cool and well ventilated. Tubers carrots into bonds so practical and easy to transport and storage.
Carrots are known to contain a lot of protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin B, vitamin C, glutathione, containing Ca, Mg, Fe, P, S and Cl. The carrot can cures efficacious in several diseases such as high blood pressure, tighten the facial skin, high cholesterol, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, hepatitis, and prevent stroke.
