The Influence of mineral and organic fertilization on the survival of mycorrhiza in artichoke roots

The results of previous research have shown the influence of general factors on the beneficial relationship of mycorrhiza associations: organic substances, light and temperature favour this association, while mineral fertilization, herbicides, fungicides and lack of soil oxygen have negative effects. Mycorrhiza favours an increase in the availability of mineral nutrients, in particular those present in low concentrations or those that are relatively immobile such as phosphorus. At the same time, mycorrhiza plants show a greater capacity to adapt after transfer from in vitro conditions to the field. To confirm the efficiency of mycorrhiza treatment, a comparison was made in field to evaluate the validity of this technique against the traditional planting methods used for artichoke beds from offshoots. In this first year, we have considered the growth rate and harvest levels and have carried out an analysis of the root morphology to discover the presence of roots with mycorrhiza associations and the number of spores present in the soil. The results of the experiment thus show how the mycorrhiza inoculum acted favourably on the growth and in-field productive behaviour of micropropagated artichoke plantlets.