Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-8bljj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-17T06:26:06.109Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Storage-root weight, diameter and length relationships in carrot (Daucus carota) and red beet (Beta vulgaris)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

L. R. Benjamin  and
R. A. Sutherland
L. R. Benjamin
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Horticultural Research, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK
R. A. Sutherland
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Horticultural Research, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The functional relationships between loge diameter and loge weight, and between length and diameter of the storage roots in carrot and red beet were described by two linear equations. These equations were fitted to data from three red beet and two carrot experiments. The agreement between the fitted and observed data was close. With increasing plant population density of red beet, the slope of the relationship between length and diameter decreased and the intercept increased. Although these changes in slope and intercept were statistically significant (P < 0·05), their magnitude was of negligible practical importance. The relationship between loge diameter and loge weight was little affected by length; the relationship between length and diameter was little affected by loge weight.

Using these equations in independent experiments, the diameters of roots of both species were predicted from measured root weights. The roots were then assigned to various commercial diameter grades on the basis of either the measured or the predicted diameter. Except for a few roots of red beet greater than 85 mm in diameter, there was close agreement between the observed and predicted number of roots in each grade.

Any model which predicts root weight might be extended to predict yield of marketable size grades, using these equations as a calibration between weight, diameter and length.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 113 , Issue 1 , August 1989 , pp. 73 - 80
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Benjamin, L. R. & Bell, N. (1985). The influence of seed type and plant density on variation in plant sizes of red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) crops. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 105, 563–571.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bleasdale, J. K. A. (1967). Systematic designs for spacing experiments. Experimental Agriculture 3, 73–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bleasdale, J. K. A. & Thompson, R. (1963). An objectiv1e method of recording and comparing the shapes of carrot roots. Journal of Horticultural Science 38, 232–241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bradley, G. A., Smittle, D. A., Kattan, A. A. & Sistrunk, W. A. (1967). Planting date, irrigation, harvest sequence and varietal effects on carrot yields and quality. Proceedings of the American Society for Horticultural Science 90, 223–234.Google Scholar
Dowker, B. D., Fennell, J. F. M. & Jackson, J. C.(1976). Variation studies in carrots as an aid to breeding. III. Size and shape characters. Journal of Horticultural Science 51, 235–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dowker, B. D. & Jackson, J. C. (1977). Variation studies in carrots as an aid to breeding. V. The effects of environments within a site on the performance of carrot cultivars. Journal of Horticultural Science 52, 299–307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kendall, M. G. & Stuart, A. (1967). The Advanced Theory of Statistics. II. Inference and Relationship. London: Charles Griffin and Co.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1980). Carrots, Booklet No. 2268.Google Scholar
Morris, G. E. L. & Currah, I. E. (1983). Weight, size and shape relationships and their uses in the study of graded yield data. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 100, 211–220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Patefield, W. M. (1977). On the information matrix in the linear functional relationship problem. Applied Statistics 26, 69–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snee, R. D. (1972). A useful method for conducting carrot shape studies. Journal of Horticultural Science 47, 267–277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, R. (1969). Some factors affecting carrot root shape and size. Euphytica 18, 277–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tyler, F. T. & Benjamin, L. R. (1982). Spacing red beet for high returns. Grower 97, 19/21–23.Google Scholar
Umiel, N., Kust, A. F. & Gableman, W. H. (1972). A technique for studying quantitatively the variation in size and shape of carrot roots. Hort Science 7, 273–276.Google Scholar