Chicory and Endive

Current Advances in Genomics and Breeding of Leaf Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)

“…Nevertheless, most scientific literature refers to Witloof chicory as a type belonging to var. foliosum [2,10,[18][19][20][21][22][23]. The cultivar groups Pain de Sucre, Radicchio, and Catalogne are assigned to var.…”

“…Thus, independently of the intervention of external agents, self-pollination is possible in addition to open-pollination. In general, C. intybus is characterized by a strong sporophytic incompatibility system that usually inhibits self-fertilization and hence favorites cross-fertilization [2,10,[24][25][26][27][28]. Flowering occurs in the early part of the morning, mainly between 7:00 and 10:00 a.m., according to the air temperature and humidity.…”

“…At harvest, the outer green The biotype "Red of Chioggia" is by far the most widely grown among the various types of Radicchio and it presents the highest within-type differentiation among cultivars able to guarantee production almost year-round. Indeed, Rosso di Chioggia has exhibited great adaptability to very different environmental situations worldwide, becoming the most grown type of Radicchio outside Italy and thus the most known at the international level [2]. Independent of the sowing time, it grows in the open field.…”

“…According to Street et al [1], Cichorium intybus can be divided in four varieties according to the purpose and use for which it was cultivated: (i) "industrial" or "root" chicory, which is predominantly cultivated in northwestern Europe, India, South Africa, and Chile. At present, the taproot utilization of this type appears to be mainly for inulin extraction or, on a more limited scale, for the production of a coffee substitute; (ii) "forage" chicory, a variety that was initially derived from wild chicory, has been domesticated since the mid-1970s to intensify herbage obtainability in perennial pastures for livestock; (iii) "Brussels" or "Witloof" chicory, which is commonly grown in Europe as an industrial crop for etiolated buds obtained by forcing (i.e., the particular whitening process adopted to obtain the commercial product usually named "chicon"); (iv) "leaf" chicory, also called "Radicchio", which is mainly known as an important component of fresh salads and is often cooked and differently prepared according to traditions and alimentary habits [2].…”

“…Table 1. Taxonomy of Cichorium intybus, including subspecies, botanical varieties, and cultivar groups (adapted from Lucchin et al [2]). …”