Carrots can be grown throughout the year in many temperate climates and grow well from September to November in tropical and subtropical regions. Globally, cultivation has risen continuously in the past 50 years, with a six-fold increase in total production (Riaz et al. 2022).

Carrots are a valued root vegetable with a wide range of phenotypic and genotypic variation (Sarker et al. 2022), widely grown and eaten worldwide.

They are eaten fresh, frozen, canned, and occasionally dried and are used in salads, soups, stews, stir-fries, as a side dish, and even desserts like carrot cake, thanks to their sweet flavour. They are also used in baby food, smoothies, juices, and as a source of natural dye.

Carrots are an important nutraceutical. In addition to providing 100% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin A in a 100g serving (POWO 2024), they also offer very high levels of β-carotene and significant amounts of α-carotene, vitamin E, and anthocyanin. Daily consumption of carrots can reduce the risk of chronic diseases (Riaz et al. 2022).

Carrots are poor competitors, so yields are reduced by 90% or more without weed control. Controlling weeds during the critical weed-free period from seedling to the 12-leaf stage can reduce losses to less than 5% (Swanton et al. 2022). Soil solarization can control most weeds as well as nematodes and soilborne diseases in carrots (Fennimore et al. 2024). Weed infestations may pose additional threats by hosting the Northern Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne hapla) and Aster Yellows Disease, which can cause extensive damage to crops (Swanton et al. 2022).

The specific problem weeds will depend on the climate and soil the carrots are grown. Common weeds include weedy members of the Amaranthaceae Family (Amaranthus spp. L. (pigweeds), Chenopodium spp. L., etc.), Poaceae (e.g. Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. (Johnsongrass), Setaria spp. P. Beauv. (foxtail Grasses), Digitaria spp. Haller (crabgrass), etc.), the Brassicaceae family (e.g. Brassica spp. L. (mustards), Raphanus raphanistrum L. (wild radish), etc.), the Asteraceae family (e.g. Erigeron spp. L. (fleabanes), Gnaphalium spp. L. (cudweeds), Sonchus spp. L. (sowthistles), etc.), the Convolvulaceae family (e.g. Convolvulus arvensis L. (field bindweed), Ipomoea spp. L. (annual morning-glory)), the Solanaceae family (e.g. Physalis spp. L. (groundcherries), Solanum spp. L. (nightshades), etc.), as well as other weeds including Erodium spp. LʼHér. (filarees), Cyperus spp. L. (nutsedges), Polygonum arenastrum Boreau. (common knotweed), Portulaca oleracea L. (common purslane), Rumex spp. L. (docks), Salsola tragus L. (Russian thistle), Tribulus terrestris L. (puncturevine), Stellaria media (L.) Vill. (chickweed), Amsinckia spp. Lehm. (fiddlenecks), and Urtica spp. L. (nettles) (Fennimore et al. 2024).

In addition to its susceptibility to weed infestations, carrot crops are also susceptible to the Carrot Fly (Chamaepsila rosae Fabricius) and Carrot Leaf Blight (Alternaria dauci (J.G.Kühn) Groves & Skolko) (POWO 2024).