Effect of Irrigation and Potassium Fertilizer on Vegetative Growth, Yield and Quality of Globe Artichoke Plants under Sandy Soil Conditions

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons at El-Kassasin Horticulture Research Station, Ismailia governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of irrigation and potassium fertilizer treatments on vegetative growth, yield and quality of globe artichoke plants under drip irrigation system in sandy soil. The experiment was designed as split plot. Main plots devoted to irrigation treatments which included irrigation with 100% of ETc (I1), 80% of ETc (I2) and 60% of ETc (I3). While potassium fertilizer treatments were in the sub-plot. Potassium fertilizer treatments were 100% of recommended potassium fertilizer dose (K1), application of 75% and 50% from recommended potassium fertilizer dose plus 1% foliar potassium citrate (K2 and K3 respectively). Results indicated that the highest values of plant height, leaf fresh and dry weight, number of offshoots plant-1, flower heads fresh weight and diameter, fresh weight and diameter as well as thickness of receptacle, number of early and total flower heads plant-1 and total yield fed-1 were obtained from I1 and K1, while the lowest values resulted from I3 and K3. There were no significant differences between K1 and K2 potassium treatments for all characteristics, as well as between I1× K1 and I1× K2 interactions in the two growing seasons. Seasonal applied water was 39.32, 31.63 and 23.97 cm when globe artichoke plants were irrigated with 100, 80 and 60% of ETc respectively. The highest values of productivity of irrigation water (PIW) resulted from irrigation with 60% of ETc. At the same time, potassium treatments of K1 and K2 not only resulted in higher yield but also increased the PIW. Generally, it could be concluded that under study condition irrigation with 100 ETc and application of 75% from recommended potassium fertilizer dose plus 1% foliar potassium citrate was the best combination for globe artichoke yield and its quality. When water becomes limiting factor, the treatment of I3 x K2 could be recommended.