Watery soft Rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum):
Carrots are susceptible to this disease, especially late in the season and during storage. The disease is present in soil or storage areas and often shows up after the crop has been harvested. Symptoms can be identified in the field as characteristic white mold with black sclerotia present on the crown of infected carrots. In storage, a soft, watery rot with white mold and black sclerotia characterizes the disease.
Control:
Crop rotation, weed control (to improve air circulation), planting on raised beds, winter flooding, rapid cooling prior to storage and meticulous sanitation of all storage components are all necessary to reduce losses from this disease.
Black Rot (Alternaria radicina):
This disease can be seed and soil-borne and is characterized by a shiny black decay at the crown area and a greenish-black mold on the taproot. The infected tissue is greenish black to jet black due presence of masses of black spores. This disease affects the roots in the field well as in storage.
Control:
Proper field sanitation and practicing rotation helps to keep the disease under control. The root surface should kept dry and stored at 0 C with 95 % relative humidity.
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