DEVELOPMENT OF CHICORY VARIETIES FOR SUSTAINABLE INULIN PRODUCTION
The breeding of industrial chicory is aimed at obtaining a high inulin yield per hectare with a good inulin quality. Therefore, selection is made on the basis of:
- root yield
- inulin content
- inulin chain length
- bolting resistance
- emergence and early growth
- leaf health
- root shape
ON THE ROAD TO HYBRID VARIETIES
The advantages of hybrid varieties are their yield potential (thanks to heterosis) and their uniformity (emergence, root shape, quality). For the creation of hybrid varieties, ILVO is currently working on the development of a stable cytoplasmic male sterility system and the induction of haploids for the construction of inbred lines.
AVAILABLE VARIETIES
ILVO has a cooperation program with Chicoline (Cosucra Groupe Warcoing SA) for the development of new varieties of industrial chicory. From this cooperation are currently 15 ILVO-Chicoline varieties on one or more varieties lists in Belgium, the Netherlands and France. This range of productive, bolting-resistant and high-quality varieties meets the requirements of growers and industry. The first hybrid variety will be registered on the Belgian catalogue in 2017.
More information: joost.baert@ilvo.vlaanderen.be