The pigments that give carrots their familiar orange color also provide the nutrition found in this popular vegetable long associated with Bugs Bunny. And, because scientists have sequenced the carrot's full genetic code, the carrots of the future will be a lot more nutritious -- and colorful.

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In fact, the first carrots cultivated in 1,100 years ago in Central Asia were purple and yellow in color. The familiar orange carrot only made its appearance in Europe in the 1500s.

These bits of trivia were among the more mundane uncovered by a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin that recently deciphered the carrot's full genetic code. The team was led by geneticist Phil Simon, a horticulture professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Its findings were published in the journal, Nature Genetics. The study's findings might also lead to the improvement of other crops.

"The carrot has a good reputation as a crop and we know it's a significant source of nutrition -- Vitamin A in particular," said Simon. "Now, we have the chance to dig deeper and it's a nice addition to the toolbox for improving the crop."

One finding is carrots have become good at accumulating carotenoids, the pigment compounds that give them their characteristic colors and provide their nutritional values. But more important, the genomic information has already been made available to assist in improving carrot traits such as enhanced levels of beta-carotene, drought tolerance and disease resistance.

The research team used the bright orange Nantes carrot to assemble and analyze the full genetic sequence. The carrot genome contains some 32,000 genes arranged among nine chromosomes. These chromosomes code for pest and disease resistance and colorful carotenoids, among other traits. Carotenoids such as alpha- and beta-carotene were first discovered in carrots.

"Going forward, the genome will serve as the basis for molecular breeding of the carrot," said co-author Allen Van Deynze, director of research at the University of California, Davis' Seed Biotechnology Center.

The study also discovered the genes for color and the genes associated with preferred flavors are not connected. It confirmed the pigments that give carrots their different colors are what make them nutritious.

And, by the way, orange carrots are the most nutritious of all, according to Simon, who is one of only a few carrot researchers in the world. Carrots are also the richest crop source of vitamin A in the American diet.

 "The accumulation of orange pigments is an accumulation that normally wouldn't happen," said Simon. "Now, we know what the genes are and what they do."

Tagscarrots, Phil Simon, genetic code, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vitamin A