Two sets of experiments were conducted on sandy loam soils at Anand, India during the rabi (winter) seasons of three years (1993/94–1995/96) to study the effects of farmyard manure, nitrogen, phosphorus and potash as well as the method and time of sowing and irrigation on the growth and yield of chicory. Application of farmyard manure and phosphorus had no beneficial effect, whereas the application of nitrogen at 100 kg/ha and potassium at 50 kg/ha increased yield by 12·09 and 3·33%, respectively, on a pooled basis. Crops sown either in rows 30 cm apart or broadcast performed equally well with respect to dry root yield. Sowing of chicory on 5 November gave the highest dry root yield. Delayed sowing significantly reduced the dry root yield. Scheduling irrigation at an irrigation water: cumulative pan evaporation ratio of 0·7 produced maximum dry root yield.