Cultivars are categorized based on the color of the thickened root. The most common are those with an orange color, while yellow, white, or purple cultivars are less commonly grown.
Cultivars are divided by the length of the growing season into:
- Early: 60 – 90 days
- Summer: 105 – 130 days
- Late: 165 – 190 days
The shape of the thickened root is also one of the categories used by breeders in selecting cultivars. Due to the large number of different shapes, they are often classified according to the type of older cultivars.
Types of Carrots
- Parisian Market – Round cultivars, 3 – 4 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter, intended for cultivation in protected environments or early outdoor cultivation (“young” carrots).
- Amsterdam – Cylindrical cultivars with a blunt tip, 8 – 12 cm long and about 1.5 cm in diameter, early and mid-early, “young” carrots for sale in bunches or without leaves. They are preserved by sterilization or freezing.
- Nantes – The most numerous cultivars of this type are cylindrical with a blunt tip, 14 – 20 cm long and 3 cm in diameter. The most common summer cultivars are of the Nantes type, but there are also mid-early and mid-late ones. They are intended for fresh sale and preservation by freezing.
- Chantenay – Conical in shape, with a blunt tip, 12 – 16 cm long and about 4 cm in diameter, autumn mid-late. They mature in the fall and can be stored in cellars or clamps and processed by drying.
- Berlicum – Cylindrical with a blunt tip, root length 20 – 30 cm and 3.5 cm in diameter, mostly late cultivars, harvested in the fall for fresh consumption, suitable for storage and all forms of processing.
- Flaker – Conical with a rounded or pointed tip, 25 – 30 cm long and about 4 – 5 cm in diameter, late cultivars mainly used for processing.
Carrot Varieties (Bejo Zaden Seed Companies), the number of days refers to the growing season from sowing to technological maturity (harvest):
| Variety/Type | Days | Seed Quantity/ha (million) | Maturity | Leaves | % Dry Matter | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mokum F1 | 77 | 3.5 – 6 | Very early | Medium | 10.8 | For production under plastic or glass. Excellent color. For sale in bunches. |
| Napoli F1 | 81 | 2 – 3 | Very early | Very strong | 9.7 | Beautiful carrot, for sale in bunches or with partial leaves. Does not crack. Excellent color. Can be grown in protected environments. |
| Yaya F1 | 94 | 2 – 3 | Early | Strong | – | Cylindrical, medium-long, uniform, very smooth carrot, suitable for sale in bunches. |
| Nandrin F1 | 94 | 2 – 3 | Mid-early | Strong | 11.0 | Well-colored carrot, cylindrical shape. Intended for early summer production. |
| Nayarit F1 | 100 | 2 – 3 | Mid-early | Strong | – | Cylindrical, very smooth carrot with excellent color, suitable for cultivation in continental climates. Less sensitive to Alternaria and Cercospora. |
| Niagara F1 | 100 | 2 – 3 | Mid-early | Strong | – | Very productive, cylindrical, long, smooth carrot with very healthy leaves. Tolerates drought conditions well. |
| Bersky F1 | 105 | 2 – 3 | Mid-early | Strong | – | Long, cylindrical roots, well-colored. Abundant, upright leaves. This hybrid is recommended for continental climates. |
| Narbonne F1 | 109 | 1.5 – 2.5 | Mid-late | Very strong | 11.3 | Smooth Nantes, medium-length, excellent internal quality. Good for slicing into rings. |
| Napa F1 | 115 | 1.5 – 2.5 | Mid-late | Strong | 9.3 | Smooth Nantes type with long, intensely colored roots. High yield. Good for slicing into rings. |
| Negovia F1 | 116 | 1.5 – 2.5 | Mid-late | Strong | – | Very productive Nantes type. Long, slender roots with excellent internal color. |
| Bergen F1 | 116 | 1.0 – 2.0 | Mid-late | Strong | 10.5 | Smooth, well-colored roots. Good yield. For fresh consumption and processing. |
| Nirim F1 | 117 | 1.5 – 2.5 | Mid-late | Strong | – | Nantes type with long, well-filled, very smooth roots, good internal color, and a healthy root-leaf junction. Suitable for fresh consumption and sale in bunches. |
| Nevis F1 | 118 | 1.5 – 2.5 | Mid-late | Strong | 9.7 | Long, slender, smooth roots with excellent color that do not crack. Dark green, strong, upright, healthy leaves. Suitable for sale in bunches. |
| Nelix F1 | 118 | 1.5 – 2.5 | Mid-late | Strong | – | Grows very well in dry conditions. Strong roots, beautiful internal and external color. For fresh consumption. |
| Variety | Maturity | Shape | Leaves | % Dry Matter | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.B.K. | Early | Cylindrical | Weak | 9.8 | Amsterdam type. For preserving whole carrots. |
| Parmex | Early | Round | Strong | 10.5 | Parisian carrot. No green top. |
| Samson | Mid-late | Cylindrical | Strong | 10.3 | Nantes type. Comparable quality to hybrids. Smooth root with a blunt tip, beautiful color, and lush leaves. For fresh consumption, processing, and storage. |
| Berjo | Mid-late | Cylindrical | Strong | 10.0 | Berlicum type, long, thicker, blunt, coreless. Very productive. Suitable for storage. |
| Yellowstone | Late | Conical | Strong | – | Yellow carrot, intensely fragrant with very strong leaves. Suitable for long storage. The growing season is about 130 days. |
| Vita Longa | Late | Conical | Very strong | 11.0 | Flakkee type. The most widespread variety for industrial processing in the Netherlands. |
| Joba | Very late | Conical | Very strong | 13 – 14 | Well-colored roots, conical shape. Intended for drying. The growing season is about 160 days. |
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