| Summary: | Human iodine (I) shortage disorders are documented as an imperative world-wide health issue for a great number of people. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends I consumption through ingestion of seafood and biofortified food such as vegetables. The current work was carried out to appraise the effects of different I concentrations (0, 50, 250, and 500 mg L<sup>−1</sup>), supplied via foliar spray on curly endive grown in the fall or spring–summer season. Head fresh weight, stem diameter, head height, and soluble solid content (SSC) were negatively correlated to I dosage. The highest head dry matter content was recorded in plants supplied with 250 mg I L<sup>−1</sup>, both in the fall and spring–summer season, and in those cultivated in the fall season and supplied with 50 mg I L<sup>−1</sup>. The highest ascorbic acid concentration was recorded in plants cultivated in the spring–summer season and biofortified with the highest I dosage. The highest fructose and glucose concentrations in leaf tissues were obtained in plants cultivated in the spring–summer season and treated with 250 mg I L<sup>−1</sup>. Plants sprayed with 250 mg I L<sup>−1</sup> and cultivated in the fall season had the highest I leaf concentration. Overall, our results evidently suggested that an I application of 250 mg L<sup>−1</sup> in both growing seasons effectively enhanced plant quality and functional parameters in curly endive plants.
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