Comparison of aeroponic and conventional culture of chicory production and evaluation of NAA on morphological traits in aeroponic system

Aeroponic culture is an alternative method for optimizing growth of different plants in controlled conditions. In this study aeroponic system was designed and constructed and then the morphological traits of chicory in this system were compared with the plants cultivated in soil. Also in the another experiment the effects of different NAA concentration (0, 0. 1, 0. 3, and 0. 5 mgl-1) on some morphological traits of chicory in aeroponic systemو based on completely randomized design was investigated. The results indicated that the effects of production system were significant on plant height, root length, number of leaves, volume of the root and dry weights of the shoot and root. Also result showed that 0. 5 mg/l of NAA hormone has produced the highest of leaf number (59), root length (76 cm) and volume (17. 9 cm), plant height (152. 4 cm), dry weight of root (6. 1 g) and shoot (15. 3 g) and fresh weight of root (18. 1 g) and shoot (51. 3 g).