Heads Production in Cynara cardunculus L. subsp scolymus (L.) Hegi as Affected by Plant Density and Arrangement

Economic sustainability of today's artichoke cultivation aims, to some extent, to process innovation. Among the various steps of the productive chain, harvesting still done by hand, absorbs a large need of labor, resulting in the most expensive one. In order to develop mechanization of some cropping steps and with the aim of exploiting secondary heads production for industrial process, experiments were carried out in an area highly representative for globe artichoke cultivation (Niscemi, Sicily, Italy). The cultivar 'Violet de Provence' was grown using three different plant densities 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 plant m(-2). At 0.6 and 0.9 plant m(-2) were used single row, while at 1.2 plant m(-2) were used twin rows. Results showed solutions which allow to introduce mechanical harvest, able to reduce production costs, and to increase yield. Among the limits to overcome contemporary maturation of the heads is highlighted. With the highest plant density valid results were achieved for the purpose of process innovation. However, the adoption of alternative plant density instead of the traditional one should be assessed in relation to an increase of costs for crop managements, mainly due to the higher number of propagation material per hectare, energy inputs and other economic aspects. In order to optimize the innovation should be carefully assessed cases where the individual and take account of the cost advantages also in consideration of possible differences due to damage of the product during the stages of harvesting.