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.