ISHS Acta Horticulturae 660: V International Congress on Artichoke
THE USE OF CLIMATE-CONTROL IRRIGATION FOR THE CONTROL OF HEAD ATROPHY IN ARTICHOKES: PRELIMINARY RESULTS |
| Authors: | A. Soddu, M. Cubeddu, M.G. Mameli, F. Chessa |
| Keywords: | Spinoso sardo, climatic irrigation, mulching, forced growing, break dormancy, climate-control |
| Abstract:
A two-year trial (1999-2000, 2000-2001) was carried out in an area in south Sardinian, where “head atrophy” physiopathology is the main cause of yield decrease of early production in a forced artichoke growing system, with a different incidence that depends on high summer temperature. The aim of the experiment was to verify in what way decreased canopy temperature by evaporation of wet irrigated plants and mulching, could affect head atrophy, yield, and crop development. The design of the adopted experimental trial was factorial with climatic microsprinkler irrigation as the main plot and mulching as the sub plot. Climatization was obtained by wetting the canopy with microirrigation for 5 minutes per hour from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, from the 30th day to the 90th day after dormancy break (the 15th of July, during the two years). Mulching was obtained with wheat straw. The main climatic parameters and atrophy incidence, diameter, length, weight, and stem weight of the artichoke heads were recorded considering the different harvesting dates. The obtained results have shed light as to how climate-control irrigation treatment affects head atrophy phenomena with a significant decrease in incidence on early commercial production. Irrigation has affected all measured biometric parameters. | |
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