Simon: Release: F524

FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION                             UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA                             GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA                                      and                   UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE                        AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE                               WASHINGTON, D.C.                 RELEASE OF CARROT INBRED LINE FLORIDA 524 The Florida Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA Agricultural Research Service announce the release of the carrot inbred Florida 524 (F524) for use in production of market-type hybrid-carrots. F524 was derived from the open pollinated cultivar Waltham Hicolor by self- pollinating plants selected for a more cylindrical and stump-rooted type than was prevalent in the open source.  One S2 line (MJB 25-9) grown in muck soil at Zellwood, FL was selected and increased under screen isolation at Madison, WI in 1976.  It was also isolated with an assortment of cytoplasmic male sterile parent lines developed in the USDA carrot breeding program.  Since 1976 it has been increased by mass pollination under the designation F524 and an extensive array of its hybrids have been tested in Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, California, and Arizona.  One hybrid, B3640 BC1 x F524, is scheduled for release as soon as adequate stock seed is available. Mature roots of F524 are 2-3 cm in diameter at the shoulder and 17-22 cm in length. Roots are slightly tapered with rounded shoulders and partially stumped tips. The exterior is smooth with bright orange color extending from shoulder to tap root.  Internal color is uniform with little contrast between xylem and phloem tissue and a relatively indistinct cambium zone.  Carotene content is high compared with currently popular open cultivars, 120 micrograms per gram fresh weight in California-grown samples of F524 versus 80 micrograms per gram fresh weight in Imperator 58.  F524 produces abundant pollen over a relatively long blooming period and has produced good yields of seed on a wide range of male-sterile parents both under screen and in outdoor isolation. F524 is being released at this time to permit seedsmen to utilize it in their breeding programs and to test it as a parent in combination with their own seed parents.  A limited supply of breeders seed from screen cage isolations will be distributed to hybrid carrot seed producers who make a written request to Dr. Mark J. Bassett, Department of Vegetable Crops, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32661 by December 15, 1981. _____________________________________________________  Date____________________ Director, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station _____________________________________________________  Date____________________ Acting Administrator, Agricultural Research Service

---