A foul odor may be associated with soft rot. Aboveground symptoms include a general yellowing and wilting of the foliage. Erwinia carotovora is a common soilborne bacterium that attacks a wide range of fruits and vegetables. The bacterium enters carrots through various kinds of wounds. In the field, soft rot is most often associated with warm temperatures and standing water resulting from poor drainage, low areas, or leaky irrigation pipes.
Carrots are most susceptible to infection when roots are mature and temperatures are warm.
In the field, maintain good drainage and avoid practices that could wound roots. Avoid prolonged irrigation of mature carrots during warm months of the year. In the packinghouse, handle carrots carefully to avoid bruising and store them under cool conditions. Chlorine added to the wash water helps to eliminate the soft rot bacteria from carrot surfaces. The Regents of the University of California.