As vegetables go, it is probably one of the world's most unassuming. But the humble carrot could be set to revolutionise the world of manufacturing thanks to the skills of two Scots-based scientists.

Yesterday they unveiled an environmentally friendly material made from the vegetable, which could become one of the biggest innovations since the invention of carbon fibre, more than 30 years ago.

Marketed under the trade name CurranTM, the product has been designed to replace carbon and glass fibre, in everything from fishing rods to car parts.

The material is made by combining the natural nano fibres found in carrots with high-tech resins to enable the moulding of durable components into various shapes and strengths.

Speaking from his research base in Burntisland, Dr David Hepworth, one of its inventors, said: "The potential of CurranTM is enormous, and if we can replace just a small percentage of carbon fibre in products the effects on the environment could be significant and wide ranging.

"The irony is that the main ingredient for achieving this major step forward has been with us all along."

With backgrounds in university research and advanced aerospace technologies, Dr Hepworth, along with his colleague Dr Eric Whale, have spent five years researching how to produce high-performance materials using vegetables. Dr Hepworth added: "Science has recently become aware of huge potential of plant-based products, but research is still at a relatively early stage."

While the properties of other root vegetables work just as well, it is the carrot the scientists find most seductive.

"We've focused on carrots because there is a good local source of them in Fife and they are easy to process," explained Dr Hepworth.

"We also don't want to use prime vegetables because that would mean taking them away from the agricultural food sector.

"But around 30% of carrots get rejected, and local producers supply us with the secondary source not used for human consumption."

Through their company CelluComp Ltd, launched three years ago, the duo will initially enter the sporting goods market with the launch of a fishing rods range next month.

Dr Whale said: "We opted for the sporting goods market as it is more receptive to new materials.

Campbell Murray, head of the Scottish Enterprise high growth start-up unit, of which the company is a client, said: "CelluComp has a unique product and it is arriving at a time when the trend across all businesses is towards having greater focus on the environment and corporate social responsibility."