Cichorium intybus
Chicory is well known as a high quality, summer active forage, with documented research showing excellent liveweight gains on cattle, lambs and deer.
Chicory is best suited to fertile, free draining soils in areas of minimum average annual rainfall 600mm. It is tolerant of soil acidity. Chicory can be sown at 5kg/ha with legumes, and at 1 -2kg/ha in a standard pasture mix or with a multiple grazing brassica. Chicory is not a legume and N applications are essential to maximise production. Broadleaf herbicides cannot be used on chicory, so pre-emergent weed control is important. Plants can suffer from the rot disease, Sclerotinia, which may be more prevalent in wet soil conditions.
Chicory has one of the highest digestibility figures of the forage plants, which accounts for the high liveweight gains and general good health of stock on chicory pastures. Overgrazing can be a problem in pasture mixes, especially with sheep. Chicory, like plantain, has a high mineral content. It is best suited to rotational grazing or cutting for silage. Control of seedheads over spring - early summer is important for maintaining feed quality and stand life. However, excessive moisture in the hollow flower stem increases the risk of plant loss.

GROUSE was bred at Ceres Research Centre, to provide upright, uniformly leaved chicory with a longer seasonal growth pattern from early spring to late autumn-winter.

• Ploidy
  Diploid
• Sowing rate (per ha)
  1-5kg
• Leaf
  Uniform shape
• Growth habit
  Upright
• Seasonality
  Cool season active
• Key minerals
  Cu, K
• Management
  Rotational