Chicory root
Other Common Names Include:
Blue sailors, succory, coffeeweed
Latin Name: Cichoriumintybusvar.sativum
Plant Family: Asteraceae
Close Relatives: Curly endive (Cichoriumendivia)
Uses and Markets: Culinary: roasted root used as a coffee substitute. Medicinal: Chicory roots contain inulin, a carbohydrate used as a non-caloric sweetener, a prebiotic and as a source of soluble fibre. Industrial: Inulin can be converted to ethanol for use as a biofuel, or can be used as a feedstock for chemical production.
Production Life Cycle in Ontario
Annual
Hardiness Zone
N/A
Special Notes
Early planting followed by cold temperatures may increase incidence of bolting, as chicory needs a cold period to induce flowering. Commercial cultivars of Cichoriumintybusvar.sativumare available.
Propagation method
Seed at 0.5 to 1cm depth to achieve 150000 plants/ha.
Greenhouse Seeding/Propagation Dates
N/A
Field Seeding Date:
Late April/early May.
Field Transplanting Dates
N/A
In-row spacing
9 cm
Between row spacing
45 cm
Optimal Soil temperature at planting
>10°C (hot soil temperatures may inhibit seed germination).
Fertility
No current Ontario fertility recommendations exist. Research and recommendations from outside Ontario do not necessarily apply to Ontario growing conditions.Research from Belgium indicates chicory root production requires (/ha): 150-180 kg N, 60-80 kg P and 240-300 kg K. Click here for phosphorus and potassium application guidelines and for more information on specialty crop fertility.
Soil type
Well-drained soils. Sandy or loam soils.
Soil pH
pH 6 on light soils, pH 7 on heavy loam soils.
Special requirements for growth habit
Boron deficiency in the soil may cause heart rot.
Optimal Temperature Range
Temperate
Temperature sensitivity
Frost sensitive (young seedlings).
Irrigation requirements
Irrigation beneficial under normal Ontario conditions. Moisture availability is critical to uniform germination of the seed.
Days to harvest
Roots are harvested in late fall prior to first frost, after which the quality of the inulin declines.
Specialized equipment
Sugar beet digger.
Harvest
Harvest Scheduling
Single harvest
Hand harvest or machine harvest
Machine harvest
Quality parameters/grades
No established grades. Quality is determined by the market. Inulin content is the main quality parameter for the industrial/medicinal markets.
Additional Harvest Notes
None
Post harvest
Special handling/curing:
Roots should be washed to remove excess soil.
Storage Conditions
Relative humidity (RH): 95%
Temperature: 2°C
Air Exchange: N/A
Duration: 12-16 weeks
Specific pests observed on this crop in Ontario (observations based on limited experience with this crop)
Insects and Invertebrates: White grubs, snails/slugs
Diseases: White mould (Sclerotiniasclerotiorum), leaf blights (Botrytis, Cercospora, Alternaria, Septoria), post harvest fungal rots, aster yellows
Other:
Other Potential Pests: The following pests have not been observed on this crop in Ontario. However, they are either significant concerns for closely related plants in Ontario, or are reported on this crop in other production areas. This is not a comprehensive list of all potential pests. Not all of these pests will necessarily survive Ontario’s climate, but could potentially survive in a protected environment (e.g. greenhouse, storage facility).
Insects and Invertebrates: Aphids
Diseases: Bacterial rots (post harvest)
Other:
*Indicates pests commonly mentioned as causing significant damage or economic loss to this crop in other regions.
Comments
To date the following pests have been the most significant in Ontario: grubs.This crop is in crop group 1: Root and Tuber Vegetables, subgroup 1A: Root Vegetables and subgroup 1B: Root Vegetables (Except Sugar Beet). Note that Belgian endive (witloof chicory) is not in this crop group. For more information on Crop Groups, refer to the Pest section . Always refer to product labels, and follow all directions specified on the label, before applying any pest control product. For more information, consult an OMAFRA specialist.
None
- Columbus, M. and W. White. 1995. Research trials on chicory root production in south western Ontario (unpublished data).
- O’Sullivan, J., R. Grohs and R. Riddle. 2008. Chicory herbicide efficacy and tolerance trial. University of Guelph Research Station, Simcoe, Ontario.
- Baert, J.R.A. and E.J. Van Bockstaele. 1993. Cultivation and breeding of root chicory for inulin production. Industrial Crops and Products. 1:229-234.
- Patel, J.R., J.B. Patel, P.N. Upadhyay and V.P. Usadadia. 2000. The effect of various agronomic practices on the yield of chicory (Cichoriumintybus). J. Agr. Sci. 135:271-278.
- Schittenhelm, S. 2001. Effect of sowing date on the performance of root chicory. Eur. J. Agronomy. 15:209-220.
- Wilson, R.G., J.A. Smith and C.D. Yonts. 2004. Chicory root yield and carbohydrate composition is influenced by cultivar selection, planting, and harvest dates. Crop Sci. 44:748-752.
