Variety traits

Cold tolerance of chicory

Cichorium intybus L.

Chicory exhibits high ecological plasticity but is susceptible to the influence of low temperatures during early development and the growing season. The primary risks are premature bolting in witloof chicory and damage to root crops during delayed harvesting.

In the reference 9 varieties crop Chicory, where this is mentioned in the description.

Cold tolerance of chicory lacks strictly standardized quantitative metrics; however, a significant physiological indicator of the photosynthetic apparatus's ability to withstand suboptimal temperatures is the photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence.

Recurrent spring frosts pose a threat to crop seedlings. For witloof chicory, prolonged exposure to low temperatures is a critical factor, triggering the transition to flowering in the first year of life instead of forming a root crop.

In industrial practice, cold tolerance is assessed indirectly through plant response to spring frosts or the preservation of root crops in the soil. Commercial varieties require the completion of harvest operations before the onset of sustained frosts to prevent root freezing.

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

Sources8

Varieties of Chicory 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.