Chicory (Cichorium intybtts L.) is a biennral taproot-bearing crop species from Asteraceae family that naturally grows in diff-erent regions of lran, especially in the nortlrern areas, Azerbaijan, Fars and Khorasan (Van Arkel et al., zitzl. fhe root accumulates inulin, which is used in many applications by the food and non-food industries' Chicory leaves contain the glucoside cichorin, kaempferol and pectin (Stevens et al.,2001). In order to study the effects of foliar application of zinc zulfate and iron sulfate under drought stress on growth and growth characteristics such as leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), net assimilation rate (NAR) and total dry rveight (TDW) of chicory, a field experiment was conducted during the 2012 growing season. The experirnent was carried out as split plot based on complete ranJomized block design with three replications. Three drought stress levels including igigation at 60 (without stress), 90 and 120 mm evaporation from evaporation pan lJlass i; r"... assigned to main plots and foliar application of microelements in flbur ieuels (Fe, Zn, Fe*zn, control) were randomized in subplots. Based on the results of the analvsis of variance, the highest values of LAI (2.45) and CGR (22.4 grlm2) were obtained from irrigation at 60 rnm rvith the simultaneous application of }e and, Zn, Simultaneous application of Fe and'Zn al90 and l20mm irrigation levels increased LAI l2 and260/o and CGR 17 and 3670 respectively, compared to control. At 90 and 120mm inigation levels, application of Zn and Fe resulted in decrease of line slope of NAR compaied to non-Llse of these elements. There was a significant difference betrveen the maximum total dry weights of plants (TDW.*) under different treatments. The highest value of TDW.,* obtained was 358.3 grlm2.
