Effetto della posizione degli ovoli sulla produttività del carciofo spinoso di sicilia

In Sicily, the Spinoso di Sicilia artichoke is appreciated at regional level for its organoleptic characteristics, but in recent years, its cultivation area has been subject to a progressive reduction because of its susceptibility at the atrophy of head, low earliness, low productivity, and lack of uniformity of the productions. These problems are due to genetic variability, diseases and disforme propagation material (ovoli). This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of the ovoli position (apical, median and basal) in the rhizome of mother plants on morpho-phisiological and productive aspects of the artichokes. The results showed that basal ovoli gave faster growth, better plant cover, earliness and high productivity but even an increased atrophy of principal head.