Brar, Amandeep SinghShawinder Singh2019-07-102019-07-102019http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810113516Investigation entitled ―Response of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) to variable sowing and harvesting schedule‖ was undertaken at Student’s Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during rabi 2016-17 and 2017-18. The soil of experimental field was loamy sand in texture, low in available N and high in available P and available K. The experiment was laid out in split plot design keeping four sowing dates (November 1, November 15, December 1 and December 15) in main plots and four harvesting dates (April 15, April 30, May 15 and May 30) in sub plots. Number of days taken for initiation and completion of emergence were found to increase with delay in the date of sowing. Growth parameters viz; plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area and yield attributes viz; root length, root diameter, root volume and root weight per plant were significantly higher with first date of sowing on Nov. 1 than later sowing dates of Nov. 15, Dec. 1 and Dec 15. Among the harvesting dates, growth parameters were not significantly influenced as no treatment was applied at that time , however, at the time of harvesting yield attributes viz; root length, root diameter, root volume and root weight per plant were significantly higher with delayed harvesting date on 30 May. Sowing date of Nov. 1 with harvesting date of April 30 recorded root yield statistically at par with sowing date of Nov. 1 with harvesting dates of May 15 and May 30. Delay in date of sowing from November 1 to November 15 caused significant decrease in growth and yield attributes, resulting into considerable reduction in root yield but this yield reduction can be compensated by delayed harvesting on May15. Delay in sowing caused decrease in TSS and inulin in root as well as NDF, ADF and ash content in foliage, while, crude protein in root and foliage showed increasing trend with delay in sowing. Likewise, delay in harvesting resulted decrease in inulin and crude protein content while TSS showed increasing trend with delayed harvesting.ennullThesis