When it comes to radicchio and chicories, Italian tradition meets a unique genetic heritage. Over the years, Smarties.bio has bred a comprehensive professional range that covers the entire production calendar, from the earliest to the latest varieties, while preserving biodiversity and promoting traditional Italian ecotypes. Thanks to extensive expertise in chicory breeding, Smarties.bio has developed a portfolio of varieties designed to meet the needs of both professional growers and passionate, offering harvests all year long and varieties suitable for both the fresh market and cold storage. A Complete Range for Every SeasonThe Smarties.bio assortment includes the main Italian radicchio and...
Recommended products for July: radicchio, endive, and the great news: introduction to 10 brassica varieties Summer represents a key moment for planning. With the month of July, Smarties.bio offers a targeted selection of varieties that combine quality, versatility, and innovation, with a particular focus on three main protagonists: radicchio, endive, and brassicas. Radicchio: a range characterized by continuous harvestingRadicchio confirms itself as one of the most representative and recognizable crops in the Smarties.bio portfolio. The different types in the range ensure continuous production and wide adaptability, meeting the needs of both growers and the market. The proposed varieties stand out...
In the landscape of modern agriculture, breeding represents one of the most important tools for increasing production quality, enhancing plant resilience, and reducing environmental impact. Smarties.bio operates within this context with an innovative and sustainable approach, aimed at enhancing the natural potential of crops without compromising their biological balance. The company develops genetic improvement and varietal development programs by combining innovative techniques with respect for tradition, with the goal of creating high-performing, resilient varieties suitable for open-field cultivation, greenhouse systems, and vertical farming. What is breeding?breeding does not mean artificially modifying nature, but rather selecting and combining the best traits...
Forcing and whitening are traditional agronomic techniques used to improve the quality, taste, and texture of certain chicory varieties. This process involves temporarily depriving the plants of light and encouraging regrowth under controlled conditions, inducing the formation of more tender, crisp leaves with a less bitter flavor. What are forcing and whitening During natural growth, chicory develops greener, more fibrous leaves, often characterized by a pronounced bitterness. Through forcing, field growth is interrupted and new vegetative growth is stimulated in a protected environment. Whitening, on the other hand, occurs by reducing light exposure, limiting chlorophyll production and making the leaves...
