Title Effect Of Some Agricultural Practices On Growth Yield And Quality Of Artichoke:

Hamed Maher Hamed El-abagy

Three field experiments were carried out during the growing seasons of 1983/84 and 1984/85 at the ExperimentalFarm of the Faculty of Agriculture Moshtohor, ZagazigUniversity (Benha Branch) to elucidate the effect of somecommercial foliferti1izers. chelated micronutrients orgrowth regula tor s f01 iar app1 ica tion on vegeta tive growt h,chemical composition of leaves 1lower head yield and quality of artichoke plants :cv. Herious (French).First Experiment :It included 10 treatments resulted from 3 levels (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 %) for each of the commercial folifertilizersLrraL, Bayfo1an and Folifertile plus untreated controltreatment. Sprays were done three times at 60, 80 and100 days from planting. Obtained results can be summarizedas fo1lows:-1. All used fo1ifertilizers treatments significantlyenhanced plant vegetative growth characteristics i.e.plant height, number of leaves/plant and length aswell as fresh weight of the 4lh leaf. In this respect,the most favourable treatments were Irral at 0.1%,Bayfolan at 0.4% and Folifertile at 0.2%. On the otherhand, studied folifertilizers had either no significanteffect or even depressed dry matter percentage of 2. Most of fo1iferti1izers treatments significantlypromoted chlorophyll a, b as well as carotene contentof leaves, whereby Irra1 at 0.1%, Bayfo1an at 0.4%and Folifertile at 0.3% were superior, especiallywith regard to chlorophyll.3. All examined folifertilizers treatments increased N,P and K % in leaves than the control. The medium usedlevel (0.2%) of all folifertilizers was best regardingNand PI. whereas~high medium and low level of Irral,Bayfolan and Folifertile, respectively were superiorregarding K%.4. All studied folifertilizers treatments increased significantlyreducing and total sugars content of plantleaves reaching its maximum values when Irral, Bayfolanand Folifertile were added at 0.1. 0.4 and 0.2%.respectively. With regard to non-reducing sugars,non difinite trend could be concluded.5. Early flower head yield by weight and number eitherper plant or per feddan as well as average weightof flower head had been. greatly increased due to variousfolifertilizers application. The most favourable effectwas noticed by using 0.1% Irral 0.4% Bayfolan or 0.1%Folifertile. hence it increased ear~y yield as kg/plantby 150. 149 or 143 %. respectively over the control.6. All used foliferti1izers treatments increased averageFlower head weight as well as total yield by weightand number either per plant or per unit area. wherea~Irral at 0.1, Foliferti1e at 0.2 or Bayfolan at 0.4%were the most pronouncing treatments inducing anincrease of 55, 44 or 34 %, respectively in plantyield productivity by weight over the control duringboth seasons.7. Foliar folifertilizers application obviously enhancedlength and diameter of produced flower heads as wellas thickness, diameter and fresh weight of theirreceptacles (edible parts). Moreover, it increaseddry matter, N, P and K percentages as well as reducingand total sugars content of receptacles. Treatmentsthat induced highest total flower head yield werethe most superior in this respect.It may be concluded that for getting the highest earlyflower head yield productivity with best quality it isad visiable to spray art ichoke plants three times at 60,80 and 100 days from planting with 0.1 % Irral, 0.4%Bayfolao or 0.1 % Foliferti1e. As for total flower headyield production, the same previously mentioned levelsof Irral and Bayfolao or 0.2 % of Folifertile may berecommended.Second Experiment:This experiment consisted of 10 treatments, whichresulted from 3 levels of each of Fe (60, 90 and 120 ppm),Mn (192, 288 and 384 ppm)and Zn (112, 168 and 224 ppm) in che1 ated forms pIusuntreated control treatment. These micronutrints weresprayed three times at 20 days intervals starting twomonths after planting. The most important results wereas follows:1. All micronutrients treatments mostly enhanced significantlyall studied vegetative growth characteristicscompared to control. Medium levels of both Fe andMn and high one of Zn exceeded all other treatmentsin this respect.2. Among studied treatments, Zn at its lowest level (112ppm) followed by Mn at its medium used level (288 ppm)led to the highest increment in photosynthetic pigmentscontent in artichoke plant leaves.3. Although P% of leaves had not been significantlyaffected due to all tested micronutrients, N as wellas K percentages were significantly enhanced, wherebymedium Fe level (90 ppm) as well as the low levelof each of Mn (192 ppm) and Zn (112 ppm) were bestin this respect.4. Foliar application of Fe, Mn or Zn within all usedconcentrations significantly increased the reducingand total sugars content of leaves compared to control.High Fe as well as low Zn levels were inferior inthis respect. Non-reducing sugars were Positively affected only duri ng the fir st season. where mediumlevel of each of Fe and Zn were best.5. All micronutrients treatments significantly improvedflower heads early yield parameters. In a descending order, Zn, Fe and Mn at their highest levels werebest, since it induced 209, 174 and 154% trespectively early flower head yield as kg/plant over the controlduring both seasons.6. All tested micronutrients treatments significantlyincreased flower heads total yield parameters withthe superiority of Mn and Fe at their medium levelsand Zn at its high level, which resul ted in 75 t 59and 51%, respectively over the total yield of controltrea tment as kg/plant duri ng both seas ons , Suchincrement is mainly due to the improving effect ofsuch treatments on average flower head weight and its number per plant as well.7. Fe, Mn or Zn foliar application with various used rates improved significantly studied physical characters of either flower head or its receptacle. Furthermore, it enhanced dry matter, N, P and K percentages aswell as reducing and total sugars content of the ediblepart (receptacle) of artichoke.It may be concluded that for producing the highestearly flower head yield productivity. the high used levelsof ei ther Zn (224 ppm) t Fe (120 ppm or Mn 384 ppm in theirchelated forms may be recommended in case of total flowerhead yield production. it is advisable to use ei ther thesame high Zn level or the medium I evels of both Mn (288 ppm)or Fe( 90 ppm).Third Experiment:This experiment contained 10 t rea tmen ts gained from three levels of each of GA3 (50 100 and 2000 ppm) and NAA100(100.and 200 ppm). eee(500. 200 and 400 ppm)plus untreated control treatment. Growth regulators weresprayed on artichoke plant foliage three times at 20 daysintervals starting two months after planting. Obtainedresults will be summarized as follows:1. All used growth regulators within all tested concentrationsmostly enhanced all studied vegetative growth The most effective treatments were 200 of 4th leaf.ppm GA3 with1000 parameters. except dry matter percentage regard to plant height and leaf lengtht. regarding leaf fresh weigh t and 200 ppm NAA with respectto number of leaves per plant.2. Growth regulators used did not significantly affect either chlorophyll a or carotene content of leaves.Contrasting to eee treatments, chlorophyll b contentwas gradually increased as GA3 or NAA levels increased.As for total chlorophyll content, using of 100 ppmor 400 ppm NAA were of the most pronouncing effect.3GA3application mostly increased N, P and K percentagesof levels than control, however, eec treatments showedno significant effect in this respect, except 500 ppm,which significantly increased N%. Meanwhile, NAA treatmentsmostly increased Nand P percentages but noclear trend could be dectected regarding K % of leaves.4. The ’highest reducing sugars content in leaves wasassociated with using highest level of either GA3(200 ppm) or NAA (400 ppm) I meanwhile a deer ea singtendency was noticed as eee levels increased. As fornon-reducing sugars content, used growth regulatorstreatments showed a retarding effect in this respect,except low level GA3 and medium level of the bothcee and NAA.5. All used growth regula tors, wi th the superior ity ofGA3treatments enha~ced flower heads early yieldproductivity. For each growth substance, the mostenhancing concentration was 200 ppm GA3, 200 ppm NAA,and 2000 ppm eec, hence it resu! ted in 220, 88 and43 % increment in early yield as kg/plant over controlduring both seasons.- 122 -6. Studied growth regulators treatments significantlypromoted flower heads total yield productivity byweight and number compared to control. The super treatmentof each growth substance was GA3. at 50 ppm, eeeat sao ppm and NAA at 200 ppm, which produced 65,49 and 46 % respectively over control as kg/plantduring both seasons.7. Contrasting to the effect on flower head diameter, enhanced flower head length, eee depressed it,meanwhile NAA showed no significant effect. Withrespect, to flower head receptacle, all used growthsubstances generally improved its studied physicalparameters as well as dry matter, N, P and K percentagescompared to control. As for reducing and total sugars content, GA proved to be of a depressive effecthowever both eee and NAA were of moderate stimulativeeffect. A retarding influence on non-reducing sugarscould be dectected as a result of GA3 or eee applications.However, the effect of NAA on non-reducing sugarsduring both seasons was flactuated.It may be concluded that GA3 foliar application showedthe most enhancing effect on flower head early as wellas total yield produc ti vi ty as compared wi th ei ther eeeor NAA. For export purposes the high GA3 used level (200 ppm) may berecommended. For improving total yield any of (SO ppm) GA3, 500 ppmeec or 200 ppm NAA may be advisable.