Biomass and seed yield in Cynara genotypes grown in a permanent crop with low-input

Abstract Previous studies indicate as possible utilization of the three Cynara carduncu/us botanical varieties (globe artichoke, cultivated cardoon and wild cardoon) for biomass and grain production. However, further studies in this field were needed to assess the potential of C. carduncu/us grown as perennial cropping system under low input in a hot and dryMediterranean area. The experiment was conducted during the four seasons at the Catania plain in Sicily (South Italy) with the purpose of studying the potential of five genotypesof C. carduncu/us as biomass for energy and grain for oil source. The tested material included 1 cultivated cardoon, 1 globe artichoke Une, 1 progeny from "globe artichoke x wild cardoon", 1 progeny from "cultivated cardoon x wild cardoon" and 1 progeny from "globe artichoke x cultivated cardoon". Each year the crop received only 50 mm of irrigation water and 80 kg ha -1 of nitrogen, a manual weedin, in October and December. On a 4-year ~verage, cultivated cardoon gave 20.6 t ha- lear-] of dry biomass and 1.6 t ha-l yearl of grain, globe artichoke 11.5 and 0.6 t ha- year-t, "globe artichoke x wild cardoon" 22.0 and 1.3 t ha-] year-l, "globe artichoke x cultivated cardoon" 19.5 and 1.1 t ha-] year-l and "cultivated cardoon x wild cardoon" 18.5 and 1.4 t ha-] year-]. Regardless of the genotype, the biomass and grain production was significantly higher in the second year.