Yield and Growth of Globe Artichoke under Saline–Sodic Conditions

Abstract

`Terom' globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) plants were propagated vegetatively and grown for 2 years in soil-filled pots in the greenhouse under saline-sodic conditions. Plants were irrigated with water containing from 1 to 10 g NaCl/liter. Growth and yield responses were evaluated with a two-line response model. The aim of this work was to determine the salt tolerance threshold and slope for artichoke yield and growth expressed in terms of electrical conductivity (EC) of irrigation water (EC i ) and saturated-soil extract (EC e ). The thresholds for yield and plant fresh weight (PFW) were the same—2.7 and 4.8 dS·m -1 for EC i and EC e , respectively. The slopes for yield—14.4% and 10.7% per dS·m -1 for EC i , and EC e —were greater than those for PFW. These data indicate that PFW was less sensitive to soil and water salinity than yield. Plants survived and produced suckers at an EC e of 21.8 dS·m -1 , but `Terom' yield was much more sensitive to saline-sodic conditions.