The study, which was published in the journal "Natural Genetics", explained that the lack of vitamin A, which is vital for strengthening vision, immunity, and skin health, is a global health challenge, but it confirmed that carotenoids, which are abundant in carrots, make them a very important source of vitamin A in the human diet.
The American study identified the genes responsible for the production of carotenoids, the orange pigment, and those responsible for resistance to pests and diseases, as well as other characteristics.
The researchers were able to draw the genetic map of a variety of carrots with a light orange color known as “Nantes Islands,” named after the French city.
The islands' genome contains 32,000 genes, which is a typical number for plants, as the average number of genes is 30,000, and is larger than the human genome, according to Reuters.
The researchers stated that the genome may lead to ways to improve carrots by developing new strains, including increasing the plant's nutrients, increasing its productivity, and its resistance to diseases, pests, and drought.
For his part, Phil Simon, professor of horticulture and genetics at the University of Wisconsin, who led the research team, said, “Studying carrots is important, given their wide range of diversity, as they are a plant known to everyone and well received by consumers.”
The researchers said that global consumption of carrots jumped four times from 1976 to 2013, and that it is now among the 10 largest vegetable crops in the world today.
During the past 4 decades, strains of carrots have been developed to enhance their nutritional value, as strains were found in which the nutritional elements increased by 50%.