Investigating the Effect Drought on Carrot Crop Growth, Yield and Quality

This study investigated the effects of drought stress applied at distinct phenological stages on carrot growth, yield, and quality in Mukonchi, Kapiri Mposhi District, Central Province, Zambia. A field experiment was conducted using a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications and four treatments: a well-watered control, and drought stress imposed during the vegetative, root initiation, and root bulking stages. Data on plant height, leaf number, root length, root diameter, fresh weight, and quality indices (leaf and root color) were collected weekly from week 4 to 12 after emergence. Statistical analysis using ANOVA showed that drought stress significantly (p < 0.001) reduced all measured parameters compared to the control. The most severe impact occurred when drought coincided with the root bulking stage, resulting in a 29% reduction in fresh root weight and significant constraint of root diameter. Drought during the vegetative stage reduced plant height by 29% and leaf number by 21%, impairing canopy establishment. Quality attributes, particularly root color and visual appearance, were also negatively affected, indicating reduced marketability. The findings identify the root bulking stage as the most drought-sensitive phase in carrot development. This study concludes that targeted water management during the bulking period through irrigation scheduling and moisture conservation practices—alongside the adoption of drought-tolerant cultivars, are essential adaptation strategies for safeguarding carrot productivity and smallholder livelihoods in Zambia's rain-fed agricultural systems. The research provides critical location-specific evidence to inform climate-resilient policy and extension services in similar agro-ecological regions.