Evaluation of witloof chicory cultivars for bolting

Abstract

Bolting of witloof chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) renders the roots unusable for chicon production. In South Africa high temperatures and irradiance were responsible for bolting. The aim of this paper was to identify witloof chicory cultivars that promise to be less prone to bolting during hot growing seasons with high irradiance. Several cultivars that seem to be more suitable for local production were identified from two glasshouse trials. These findings need to be tested further under field conditions.