Variety traits

Cold tolerance of endive

Cichorium endivia L.

Endive is a cold-tolerant crop capable of withstanding brief frosts down to -6°C. Its low-temperature resistance is leveraged to improve leaf flavor through sugar accumulation and for scheduling spring and autumn planting dates.

In the reference 10 varieties crop Endive, where this is mentioned in the description.

Hardened endive seedlings can withstand temperature drops to -6°C without critical damage to the marketable part of the rosette. Exposure to light freezing temperatures before harvest is considered a favorable factor, as it promotes the conversion of starches into sugars, which effectively reduces the natural bitterness of the leaves.

The cold tolerance of the crop is closely linked to the risk of premature bolting, as exposure of young plants to cold can trigger early formation of the flowering shoot. Due to this characteristic, variety selection and sowing dates are based on empirical assessment of a specific genotype's response to temperature stress rather than on quantitative resistance scales.

General information about the subject — on the page Cold tolerance.

Sources8

Varieties of Endive mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.