Performance of Three Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) Cultivars Produced in a Protected Agricultural Greenhouse System

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a perennial, herbaceous horticultural crop native to the Mediterranean region. All parts of the plant, including the seeds, roots, and stems, are conventional culinary ingredients. Recent interest in nutraceutical compounds has resulted in an increased demand for fennel extracts. Two primary bioactive compounds, fenchone and anethole, are extracted to produce essential oils of fennel. Although fennel has traditionally been produced in soil in a cold environment, soilless cultivation in the southern United States within protected agricultural systems has been limited. This study investigated cultivar performance in a protected production environment. Seeds of three fennel cultivars (Grosfruchtiger, Bronze and Green, and Bronze) purchased from Johnny’s Selected Seeds (Winslow, MA) were germinated in a greenhouse at the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center located in Apopka, FL. Four weeks after germination, seedlings were transplanted into 7.6-L containers filled with soilless substrate (Fafard 4 Mix, Sun Gro Horticulture, Agawam, MA) and irrigated through a drip system. Plant growth indices (width1 x width2 x height) were recorded weekly. Eight weeks after transplant, plants were destructively harvested and dried in an oven at 65 °C until a constant dry weight was obtained to quantify shoot biomass. Differences in plant growth indices and biomass among cultivar will be discussed. Results from this work will assist in selection of fennel cultivar for production within protected agricultural production.