Researches regarding the influence of the roots size on witloof quality

Gheorghita Hoza, D. Nicolae, Elena Draghici, Fl. Voinea

KEY WORDS: witloof, root, forcing

Abstract

The researches have been efectuated in the field of Vegetable crops department of Horticulture Faculty form Bucharest. The culture has been founded through direct sowing in rows of 40 cm, and on each row the plants have been rarefied at 4, 9 and 11 cm. At harvesting the leaves has been cutting at 3 cm above the colet and shortening the roots at 18-20 cm depending on the case. The forcing of roots has been made at a temperature of 15-17°C and a relative humidity of 85-90%, in nylon IV boxes, 85-95 roots/box, using 2 types of substratum: sand and mixture formed of 30% peat, 30% manure, 30% top soil and 10% sand. The boxes have been lined with black nylon.

The production of roots obtained was different at each variant. At V₁ the total production was of  27,8 t/ha, at V₃ of 20,1 t/ha. The witloof obtained in mixture are bigger, denser with opened top and those obtainde in sand are smaller denser with closed top.