Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
This study was undertaken in the Department of Horticultre, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during 1971–72 with carrot, selection-233 (A selection from No. 29 x Nantes) to assess the role of nitrogen levels and sowing methods on important nutritive constituents. Nitrogen at 45, 60 and 75 kg. per hectare and ridge, flat-line and broad-cast sowings in all possible combinations were compared in a randomised-block design keeping three replications and a net plot size of 2.25 x 2.25 M. Ridges and flat-lines were kept at 45 and 22.5 cm. respectively. Results revealed that sowing on ridges was the best suited for the accumulation of carotene, iron and crude-fibre contents, fiat-lines to protein, calcium, phosphorus, water-soluble-carbohydrates, minerals and dry-matter and broad-casting to ether-extract only. Nitrogen at 45 kg./ha. favoured accumulation of the highest carotene, calcium and ether-extract while 60 kg. nitrogen/ha. to iron, phosphorus, water-soluble-carbohydrates, minerals, crude-fibre and dry-matter and 75 kg. nitrogen/ha. to protien content only. Ridge sowing combined with 45 kg. nitrogen was the best suited for crude-fibre and with 60kg. nitrogen to carotene, protein and iron contents. Flat-lines under 45 kg. nitrogen level was the best suited for calcium accumulation, 60 kg. nitrogen for phosphorus and 75 kg. for dry-matter. Broad-cast sowing and 60 kg. nitrogen/ha was the most suited for water-soluble-carbohydrates, minerals and ether-extract. Overall perusal of the results revealed that sowing of Selection-233 under flat-lines and application of 60 kg. nitrogen/ha were the most optimum for harvesting nutrient rich roots.
