Evaluation of Two Propagation Sytems in Globe Artichoke

GARCÍA, S.M.; COINTRY, E.L; LÓPEZ ANIDO, F.; FIRPO, I.T.; CRAVERO V.; ROTONDO, R.

Saint-Pol de Léon, Brittany, France

Congreso; VII International Symposium on Artichoke, Cardoon and their wild relatives.; 2009

&amp;lt;!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:ES; mso-fareast-language:ES;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:70.85pt 3.0cm 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --&amp;gt; <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:70.85pt 3.0cm 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> It is believed that the use of seed-propagated cultivars would lead to an increase in yield due to the root system development, which explores and uses water and nutrients more efficiently than in vegetatively propagated materials. The objective of this study was to evaluate under seed and vegetative propagation the performance of cultivars ‘Imperial Star’ (IS) and ‘Estrella del Sur FCA’ (ES). In April 23rd 2005, suckers and seed-born plantlets of both cultivars were transplanted in a ramdomized block design of three repetitions of twenty plants per plot. The following vegetative traits: Leaves number (LN), Stem height (SH), Plant height (PH) and Plant diameter (PD); and productive traits: Head number (NH), Mean weight of the heads (WH), Total yield (TY), Days to first harvest (DH) and Days of harvest (HP) were evaluated and analyzed under an ANOVA and Waller-Duncan test. Among the productive traits, the differences between the propagation systems were significant for NH (F=9.36; p<0.05), and TY (F=8.73; p<0.05); and highly significant for DH and HP (F= 15.10 and 20.35; p<0.01, respectively). When comparisons are held in each cultivar, in IS under seed-propagation, harvests were 11 days earlier than in the vegatately propagation (F=51.86; p<0.01). For ES under seed multiplication, harvests were anticipated 13 days as well; but this propagation gave also a 11 days elongation of the harvest period, and an increase of 83% and 45% of NH and TY respectively. For the vegetative traits, the differences between the propagation systems were significant for SH and PD (F= 4.17 and 5.41; p< 0.05, respectively). Plants under seed-propagation were more vigorous than under vegetative propagation; with an increased LN (6 leaves), PD (20 cm); SH and PH (50.12 and 70.16 cm respectively). When possible, it would be worth to change the propagation system towards seed-means; in order to achieve increased yield and precocity.