Optimization of Sowing Methods and Irrigation Levels on Carrot Productivity (Daucus carota L.) in Mid Hills of North Western Himalayas, India

The two-year study was conducted from November 2021 to February 2022 and from November 2022 to February 2023 at Dr YSP University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India, to evaluate the effect of different irrigation schedules and sowing methods on uptake yield and soil quality under carrot cultivation. The experiment followed a factorial randomized block design with two sowing methods: flat-bed (S₁) and ridge (S₂) and four irrigation schedules based on IW/CPE ratios: 0.6 (I₁), 0.8 (I₂), 1.0 (I₃) and 1.2 (I₄), at 3 cm depth of irrigation. Soil pH remained relatively stable across treatments, while electrical conductivity showed minor variations. Soil organic carbon (SOC) improved significantly with increased irrigation schedules and ridge sowing. The highest biological (478.0 q ha^-1) and marketable (342.4 q ha^-1) yield were under S₂I₄. Splitting percentage, a key physiological disorder, was lowest under moderate irrigation (I₂) and highest under I₄. Nutrient uptake (N, P, K) was significantly enhanced under ridge sowing and higher irrigation levels, with maximum uptake observed under S₂I₄. The ridge sowing combined with an IW/CPE ratio of 1.2 proved optimal for enhancing productivity and soil health, and is recommended for sustainable carrot cultivation in mid-hill agro-ecological conditions.