Effect of Photoperiod, Temperature and True-leaf Stage in Bolting Rate of Chicory (Cichorium intybus L. var. sativus)

Root chicory (Cichorium intybus L. var. sativus) is potential alternative medicinal and sugar crop which accumulates a high amount of linear polyfructan, inulin in its roots. A problem in root production is that over-wintered stock plants often flower. Once the plant becomes reproductive, stem elongation and root growth slows and floral buds arise from every node, rendering the plants useless for propagation. The objectives of this research was to examine the effectiveness of manipulating environmental factors containing photoperiod, temperature and number of leaf states. The experiment was performed in growth chamber to create two photoperiods (8 h, and 16 h) with three temperature regimes (5$^{\circ}C$/3$^{\circ}C$, 1$0^{\circ}C$/8$^{\circ}C$ and 15$^{\circ}C$/13$^{\circ}C$ day/night temperature) for a total of six treatments on three type of true-leaf stage of plant. Data of bolting rate, shoot and root length, shoot and fresh weight was invetigated in each treatments. This is the first report on changes in bolting rate and shoots and roots production during a whole growing season and differences in the effect of cold and photoperiod treatment depending on the true-leaf stage of plant.