Effect of adding biochar and different rates of chemical fertilization on growth and yield of globe artichoke plants grown in sandy soil

Abstract EN

A field experiment was carried out during two successive winter seasons of 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 at the Experimental Farm of El-Kassasin Horticultural Research Station, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, to study the effect of different rates of mineral NPK ( 100, 75, 50 and 25 % of the recommended rates) and biochar (0, 1, 2 and 4 m³/fad.

) on growth, yield and head quality of globe artichoke plants grown in sandy soil.

Results showed that, the interaction between fertilizing globe artichoke plants with NPK at 100 % of recommended rates (RR) and treating with biochar at 4 m³/fed, significantly increased plant height, leaf fresh weight and offshootsnumber / plant, highest number ofearly heads/ plant, number of total heads/ plant, total yield / plant, total yield /fed.

and total sugars (% ) in receptacle  in both seasons.

While, the interaction between fertilizing globe artichoke plants with NP K at 75 % of RR and treating with biochar at 4 m³/fed.

significantly enhanced leaf dry weight and all flower head quality such as head fresh weight, head diameter, receptacle fresh weight, receptacle diameter and receptacle thickness, with no significant differences between the interaction treatment between fertilizing with NP K at 100 % RR and treating with biochar at 4 m³/fed.

in both seasons.

However, reducing sugars and inulin (% ) significantly enhanced with the interaction treatments between NPK at 100 or 75% of RR and treating with biochar at 4 or 2m³/fed.

in both seasons.

On the other hand, the lowest values of all plant growth parameter, yield and its components, head quality and chemical constituents of receptacles were obtained from the plants which received 25 % of the recommended rate of NPK in without biochar both seasons.

Conclusively, it could be concluded that, fertilizing globe artichoke plant with NPK at 100% from recommended rate which equal 120 kg N, 62.0 Kg P₂O₅ and 120 kg K₂O and treated with 4 m³/fed.

was the best treatment for recorded the highest values of yield characters, and head quality under the similar conditions compared to the other studied treatments.