Chicory varieties for the early season
The chicory witloof varieties and the red chicory variety Céralie for use in the early season are shown below. Darling and Bingo are the standard chicory varieties in this segment. Jackpot and Helios are the newest developments and Céralie is currently the only red chicory variety in the list below. These varieties need a growing period of 130-150 days in the field and are intended for processing soon after the roots have been harvested. However, these varieties still need a few weeks of post-ripening after harvesting, which takes place during the cold storage of the chicory root. During the forcing phase, these varieties need a sufficiently high temperature (18-20°C) so that they can form a firm head. The forcing temperature for the red chicory variety Ceralie is slightly lower than for the chicory varieties in the same period. By varying the sowing date and therefore the harvest date of the roots, these early season varieties can cover approximately the first 3-4 months of the forcing season.
Red Chicory Céralie
Red chicory Ceralie (H138) is a red chicory type. Its magnificent colour ensures that this variety is an early season eye-catcher. Céralie is an early variety, but because of its magnificent color there is often a desire to extend the forcing period. Under certain conditions (favorable root content, not too big caliber of the root, and good conservation of the roots), it is often possible, with annual influences reserved, to stretch this forcing period by a few months.
Magnificent colour
The red chicory Ceralie variety’s growth period is approximately 140 days. It can also be lifted very early, if sown early. For early liftings, three to four weeks of cooling are needed before setting. If sown later and the roots are left to develop slowly in the field at the end of the growing season, the red chicory roots can be stored somewhat longer. When storing for longer, make sure that the roots are cooled quickly and are stored below zero. This can enable the forcing period to be extended by a few months. The forcing temperature for this early season Céralie is somewhat lower than other chicory varieties in the same period. Avoid a musty climate and ensure that the forcing room has a sufficient supply of fresh air.
Click on the icon to download the Ceralie leaflet.
Key figures for Céralie red chicory
| Forcing period | very early season | early season | (beginning mid-season) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sowing period * | early | normal | late |
| Quantity of seed/ha | 250-280.000 | 260-290.000 | 270-300.000 |
| Optimum number of plants/ha | 235-245.000 | 240-250.000 | 245-255.000 |
| Growing days | 140 | 145 | 150 |
| Cold storage period (roots) | 3-6 weeks | 2 weeks - 2 months | 2-3 months |
| Cold storage temperature (roots) | 0,0 °C. | 0,0 / -1 °C. | -1 °C. |
The above figures should be interpreted as trends and depend on regional growing and operating conditions.
* The minimum 24-hour temperature for sowing is 12 °C. Avoid night frost.
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Chicosem is part of the Chico-group. Chicosem supplies chicory witloof seeds to professional chicory growers around the world.
CONTACT DETAILS
PARTNERS
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