Growth and yield of baby leaf chicory under different environmental conditions and plant spacing/Crescimento e producao de chicoria baby leaf em diferentes ambientes de cultivo e espacamentos de plantas/Crecimiento y produccion de escarola baby leaf bajo diferentes ambientes de cultivo y espaciamiento de plantas

The present study aimed to analyze the production of baby leaf chicory in different environmental conditions and plant spacing between August and October 2011 in Ponta Grossa, Parana, Brazil. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates and treatments distributed in a split-plot design. The treatments consisted of three cropping environments (plastic tunnel, direct non-woven and natural conditions) and four plant spacing (5x2; 5x4; 10x2 and 10x5cm). Measurements were carried out at five harvest time (14; 21; 28; 35 and 42 days after sowing) to obtain growth curves of plants, which were the third factor studied. The average air temperature and photosynthetically active radiation were monitored at each cropping environment. The characteristics evaluated were: plant height, leaf area index, number of leaves per plant, length and width of the largest leaf, fresh and dry matter and productivity at final harvest. The use of plastic tunnel and non-woven protection resulted in tender plants and early production of up to six days compared to those under natural conditions. The interaction between natural conditions and the 5x2cm plant spacing resulted in the highest productivity for plants at commercial harvest. The use of protected cultivation (non-woven protection and plastic tunnel) and the 5x2cm spacing between plants are suitable for cultivation and marketing of the whole plant (unit) instead of selling by product weight (separated and bagged leaves).