ISHS Acta Horticulturae 681: IV International Congress on Artichoke
RESPONSE OF SEED-GROWN GLOBE ARTICHOKE TO DIFFERENT LEVELS OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION AND WATER SUPPLIES |
| Authors: | S. Foti, G. Mauromicale, A. Ierna |
| Keywords: | stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, earliness, yield, crop inputs |
| Abstract:
Direct-seeded plants of seed-grown varieties of globe artichoke, compared to vegetatively propagated plants of traditional clones, may utilize soil moisture and fertilizer more efficiently because they develop long vertical tap-roots, which penetrate deeper into the soil. The aim of this work was to measure ecophysiological and crop yield responses to different levels of nitrogen fertilization and water supplies, in order to evaluate the possibility of reducing the external crop inputs. The field experiment was conducted at Siracusa-south Italy (36° 58’ N, 15° 11’ E, 15 m above sea level). Using the seed-grown variety ‘Orlando’ F1, two water supplies (50 or 100% of maximum evapotranspiration – ETM) and three rates of nitrogen fertilization (0, 200 or 400 Kg ha-1 of N, as NH4NO3) were studied. The reduction in N-rate caused a significant increase in earliness but was not significant on yield and head characteristics. The supply of 50% ETM, compared to 100% ETM, determined a significative decrease in head yields, which was more evident during the first two months of harvest than at the end of the cycle. These results indicate the possibility of reducing the amounts of nitrogen usually applied by farmers, without a significant loss in total yield, while the reduction of water supply may cause a negative effect on yield, especially in the early stages. | |
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