EFFECT OF FOLIAR SPRAY WITH SEAWEEDS EXTRACT AND CHITOZAN ON EARLINESS AND PRODUCTIVITY OF GLOBE ARTICHOKE.

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out during the two successive seasons of 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 at the Horticulture Research Farm of El-Bramoon, El-Dakahlia Governorate,, to investigate the response of globe artichoke plants cv. French, to foliar spray with seaweeds extract, chitozan levels and their combination on growth, earliness, quality, and productivity. The main results can be summarized as follows: 1). The results indicated that increasing seaweeds extract and chitozan levels individual or in combination were accompanied with significant increases in vegetative growth characters (plant height, number and dry weight of leaves/ plant) and yield distribution (early, medium and late yields) compared with control. 2). Application of seaweeds extract, chitozan levels and their combination improved most head quality characteristics (head weight, diameter, receptacle fresh and dry weight as well as TSS). However, there were no significant differences in terms of head length in the two seasons. 3) Dry receptacle N, P, K, protein and total sugars contents were positively and significantly responded to application of seaweeds extract, chitozan levels and their combination in the two seasons, while inulin was affected in the second season only. The combination between chitozan 2ml/Land seaweeds 2g/L as foliar application, seemed to be the most effective treatment, which gave a balanced vegetative growth, a higher early and total yield as well as a good quality. Moreover, this particular treatment combination was more beneficial compared to all other treatments.