Genome-Assisted Improvement Strategies for Climate-Resilient Carrots

Carrot is typically categorized as a cool-season vegetable crop that is grown globally with largest per capita production in Europe, but with significant increased production in warmer regions of Asia in the last 50 years. As a high-value vegetable with relatively long postharvest storage life, combined with a high nutritional value attributable to its familiar orange carotenoid pigments, continuing adaptation of carrot to diverse climatic conditions is critical. Traits important to past success and future progress in improving climate resilience depend on the broad genetic diversity of carrot. Classical and modern approaches readily lend themselves to carrot improvement, with significant application of genome-assisted breeding tools expected to expand future prospects of success.