MadSci Network: Botany |
Just because most modern cultivated carrot roots are orange does not mean that the plant benefits from the high levels of carotene. Apparently, orange carrots are only about 400 years old. Before that, cultivated carrots were purple, red, yellow, black, green or white. In the 16th century, Dutch carrot breeders developed orange carrots because they desired orange to honor their royalty called the House of Orange. References PIGMENT POWER IN CARROT COLOR The World Carrot Museum
Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on Botany.