New cropping designs for globe artichoke industry

A two-year experiment was carried-out in order to evaluate the effects of two plant arrangements (single vs. twin rows) and four plant densities (1.0 -1.2 -1.4 and 1.8 plant m–2) on the agronomical behaviour and head characteristics of three globe artichoke genotypes (Violetto di Sicilia, Harmony F1 and Madrigal F1). The change of the cultivation format toward a high density stand significantly increase yield and yield synchronicity. The twin rows plant arrangement, although reduced total yield, increased the yield synchronicity. Moreover, the cultivation of seed-propagated genotypes (Harmony F1 and Madrigal F1) allowed extending significantly the availability of the heads across the year. On the basis of our results, we can assert that the implementation of a specific scheduling cultivation, based on higher density stands, twin rows plant arrangement and the integration of the traditional early genotypes with the new seed-propagated cultivars, is a promising way to match the requirements of a globe artichoke industrial crop, and to predispose a better mechanization of the cultural practices.