Planting Configuration and Plasticulture Effects on Growth, Physiology, and Yield of Globe Artichoke

Abstract

Globe artichoke is typically grown in Mediterranean and coastal areas. Because of the high profitability as a specialty crop, demand to develop production systems optimized for other semiarid and water-limited regions is rising. Field experiments were conducted over three seasons (2008–09, 2010–11, and 2011–12) in southwest Texas to investigate plant growth, physiology, and yield of artichoke grown as an annual system. Three strategies were evaluated: planting configuration (single and double lines per bed), plasticulture (bare soil and black plastic mulch), and cultivars differing in maturity (‘Imperial Star’, early; ‘Green Globe Improved’, late). Each fall, transplants were established in the field at 2.03 m between rows and 0.90 m between plants (single line) or 4.06 m between rows and 0.90 m between plants (double line). In both cultivars, black plastic mulch enhanced plant growth (leaf number, plant height and width) and increased early yield; however, its effect on total yield and yield components was not consistent. Single line per bed significantly increased head number of jumbo and large size per plant as compared with double line in the 2009 season. Chlorophyll index was unaffected by either planting configuration or plastic mulch. Comparing cultivars, ‘Green Globe Improved’ had lower marketable yield but bigger head size than ‘Imperial Star’ in one and two seasons, respectively. Our results indicate that single line with black plastic mulch can be recommended to improve earliness and water savings as compared with the bare soil system for annual artichoke production.