ABSTRACT Different soil water tension values were tested to evaluate the effects on yield of two drip irrigated carrot cultivars. The experiment was carried out at Lavras, in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil (21º 14' S, 45º 00' W and 918.8 m), from July to October 2008. The statistical design used was randomized blocks in a 2 x 6 factorial scheme with four replications. The treatments consisted of two cultivars of carrot (hibrid in Nayarit F1 and non hybrid Nantes) and six critical soil water tension levels (15, 25, 35, 45, 60 and 75 kPa). It can be concluded that the hybrid Nayarit F1 presented the best response in relation to the following analyzed variables: total root yield, marketable root yield, average marketable root mass and water use efficiency. In order to obtain larger root yield (total and marketable) and average marketable root mass, for both cultivars, the irrigation should be provided when soil water tension reaches 15 kPa at 0.15 m depth. The minimum value found for the roots of non comercial value occurred at a tension of 21 kPa, resulting in a low root mass of 41.67g.
Daucus carota L.; trickle irrigation; tensiometer
