Salinity Effects on Bud Yield and Vegetative Growth of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.)

Abstract

Globe artichokes recently have been planted in the irrigated desert area of southern California. Soils in this area are, or have the potential to become, highly saline from the application of saline irrigation water. Thus, a 2-year field plot study was conducted. A control and five saline treatments were imposed by irrigation with waters that contained equal weights of NaCl and CaCl. Bud yield and vegetative growth were measured. For the two years, relative bud yield was unaffected up to a soil salinity of 6.1 dS·m [electrical conductivity of the saturated soil extract (EC,)]. Each unit increase in salinity above 6.1 dS·m reduced yield by 11.5%. These results place artichoke in the moderately salt-tolerant category. Yield reduction was attributed primarily to reduced bud weight rather than bud count. Vegetative growth was more tolerant to salt stress than was bud production. Chloride concentration in midrib and blade tissue increased as salinity increased.