Plant Family Reproductive Genetic Method used to Seed Production Geographic Selection Criteria for Apiaceae Biology Maintenance reproduce seed Practices considerations seed crop Carrots and parsnips Members of this family choose seed from the primary includes carrot, celery & Small perfect flowers with 5 to maintain purity Seed-to-seed Grown in loose, well have roots in the and/or secondary umbels celeriac, cilantro, stamens, 5 petals, 5 sepals– maintain isolation drained, deep loamy Mediterranean area and (because they have the longest parsley, parsnip, dill, Are found on small distances Root-to-seed soils with good fertility. have documented use by time to mature) fennel “umbellettes” Heavy or stony soils the ancient Romans and All members in the family Spacing between plants might produce cooked Greeks Good quality seed is generally have aromatic leaves, Minimum of 150 roots varies (Seed-to-seed: 4-8 or malformed roots. pH Selection in the Americas plump and heavy. If you rub a flowers, seed and roots and preferably over 200 in, 6.5-7.0 is ideal and Europe gave us the small sample in the palm of should be retained in the Root-to-seed: 8-18 in) popular varieties we see your hand using a fair bit of Carrot They are mostly cross- final intermating Celery: organic soils today. Ex. Orange carrots pressure on the seed. The good Daucus carota L. pollinated with insects but population to maintain Spacing between rows is and loams with high % are today’s popular seed will remain intact while can also self-pollinate adequate genetic about 22-36 in of organic matter. variety poor seed will Parsnip variability Nitrogen levels should crush and break Pastinaca sativa L. Fertile pollen will shed be monitored (too high Most of commercial seed before female stigma (of the will be a problem for production occurs in Carrot & Parsnip – important same flower) is receptive – producing a flowering temperate regions with characteristics: root shape, Parsley makes self-pollination less crop) dry summers, but is root smoothness, root length, Petroselinum crispum L. likely pH 6.5-7.5 widespread across top height, top size, erect continents growth habit, foliar color, low Cilantro, Coriander Commercial parsley is incidence of disease Coriandrum sativum L. Carrot, parsnip, parsley: Drip or furrow mostly grown in western Parsnips: have a unique biennial irrigation for carrots is Europe, California, tapered shape that needs to be Celery & Celeriac preferred. Same for Oregon, and Washington. maintained; selection for Apium graveolens L. Celery, cilantro: Annual parsnips; overhead Parsley seed is also smooth roots ; evaluated using irrigation may promote grown in eastern Europe the root-to-seed method to disease in seed heads. and western Asia maintain smoothness

For carrots especially, tarnished plant bugs, carrot rust fly, carrot Carrot, celery & celeriac seed bacterial blight, aster viability is about 3 years yellow phytoplasma, beet leafhopper transmitted Parsnip seed is flat and slight. virescence, fungal Germination rate will drop pathogens include: within 2 years of harvest Alternaria leaf blight, black rot

Carrot will cross- pollinate with wild carrot Other Apiaceae members will cross-pollinate

Carrot Parsnip Parsley Celery & Celeriac Cilantro Mating system Largely cross- Largely cross- Largely cross- Largely cross- Largely cross-pollinated, with pollinated, with some pollinated, with some pollinated, with pollinated, with some some self-pollination self-pollination self-pollination some self- self-pollination pollination Seasonal cycle Summer through the Summer through the Summer through Summer through the Early to mid-spring to mid- to following late summer following late summer the following late following late late summer or early fall of the next or early fall of the next summer or early summer or early fall year (12-14 months) year (12-14 months) fall of the next of the next year (12- year (12-14 14 months) months) Favorable temperature 50-85 F, 65-85 F, optimum 65-68 65-85 F 65-85 F, but the 65-85 F range for seed germination Carrot seed usually has F optimum range of soil a low germination Produce much of their temperature is 70-75 percentage and is slow initial growth in F. Seeds sown in to germinate. moderate temperatures temperatures 86 F or (below 77 F) higher will remain dormant. Soil must be kept moist Plant will “bolt” if 3 weeks after sowing exposed to temperatures below 2-3 weeks to germinate 50 F for 10+ days. Do not sow until soil temperature is at least 45 F (warmer is better) Favorable temperature 65-80 F 65-80 F 65-80 F 65-80 F 65-80 F range for pollination/seed formation Within row spacing Seed-to-seed: 4-8 in Seed-to-seed: 4-8 in Seed-to-seed: 4-8 Seed-to-seed: 4-8 in Seed-to-seed: 4-8 in Root-to-seed: 8-18 in Root-to-seed: 8-18 in in Root-to-seed: 8-18 in Root-to-seed: 8-18 in Root-to-seed: 8-18 in Between row spacing 22-36 in, but may 22-36 in 22-36 in 22-36 in 22-36 in change depending on carrot type Species that will readily Wild carrot/Queen Wild parsnip, other Be aware of All types of celery and Be aware of cilantro grown in cross with crop Anne’s Lace parsnip varieties cilantro grown in celeriac will cross the area, especially those the area, especially grown for market production those grown for market production Isolation distance between 0.5-2 miles, depending Minimum 1 mile for 0.5-2 miles, 0.5-2 miles, 0.5-2 miles, depending on crop carrot seed crops on crop type. insect pollinated crops depending on crop depending on crop type If you are producing between parsnips of the type. 1 mile type carrot seed that is of a same crop type, 0.5-2 between parsley different crop type than miles depending on crops of the same the nearest carrot seed crop type and physical leaf type; 2 miles field, the isolation barriers of producing

distance should be a See p. 119 of “The Organic parsley seed of a minimum of 2 miles. Seed Grower” for more different leaf type details on isolation differences for parsnip types Minimum Population for Approximately 80-100 Approximately 80-100 Approximately 80- Approximately 80- Approximately 80-100 genetic maintenance 100 100