ISHS Acta Horticulturae 730: VI International Symposium on Artichoke, Cardoon and Their Wild Relatives
VIRUS-FREE ARTICHOKE GERMPLASM: QUALI-QUANTITATIVE RESPONSE OF GLOBE ARTICHOKE |
| Authors: | F. Saccardo, F. Micozzi, G. Di Lernia, C. Piccioni, M. Barba, M.A. Pagnotta |
| Keywords: | morphological evaluation, Romanesco type, ArLV |
| Abstract:
The globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) is a field-grown vegetable crop widely used in the Mediterranean region. Italy is the world leader in globe artichoke production, with about 50,000 ha cultivated annually. Globe artichokes are generally propagated vegetatively by offshoots, stumps or dried shoots harvested from commercial fields at the end of the production cycle; however, the potential for the spread of pest (nematodes, fungi and viruses) using the current propagation technique is very high leading to significant economic losses. Meristem tip culture technique of the globe artichoke has solved many of the disease problems related to traditional vegetative propagation. A field experiment was carried out during 2004 at the experimental farm of ARSIAL (Tarquinia) to evaluate the quanti-qualitative traits of virus-free artichoke Romanesco obtained from meristem tip culture (by the Istituto Sperimentale per la Patologia Vegetale) and Romanesco clone harvested from commercial fields (control). Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications (30 plants per experimental unit). No significant differences were observed between treatments with regards to the height and width of the plants. The diameter and weight of the main bud (head) and the number of buds obtained from virus-free artichoke were higher by 13, 16 and 26% respectively in comparison to the control. The number of offshoots per plant followed a similar trend than the main bud component with higher values recorded virus-free artichoke plants (2.9) in comparison to the control (0.6). The number (3.2) and the mean weight (202 g) of secondary buds harvested from the virus-free globe artichoke plants were higher than those observed in the control treatment (2.2 and 194 g, respectively), while no difference was recorded on the number and the mean weight of the first order buds. To summarize, we can conclude that growing artichoke from plants obtained with the meristem tip culture is a valid technique leading to a higher plant performance (quali-quantitative traits) and consequently to a significant economic gain. | |
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