Field performance of micropropagated and mycorrhizal early globe artichoke plants

Early traditional varieties of globe artichoke are a profitable crop in southern Mediterranean regions. One of the main issues is the availability of propagative plant material that can ensure homogeneous and early production. This paper evaluates the micropropagation technique in association with mycorrhizal inoculation in terms of obtaining high-quality propagative material for Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus Fiori cultivar “Violet de Provence”. To confirm the morphological and productive performance of these plants, their agronomical assessment was studied under field conditions. In addition, the effects of mycorrhizal symbiosis were examined on the nutritional quality of artichoke heads. The results showed that micropropagated plantlets were healthy and homogeneous. The inoculation with Septoglomus viscosum improved the growth and development of the plantlets, alleviating the stress of post-transplanting. In the field, the micropropagated and mycorrhizal plants and the heads exhibited the standard morphological characteristics of the cultivar “Violet de Provence”. The productivity performance of the heads highlighted the positive effects of mycorrhizal symbiosis on the weight, earliness and total yield. Finally, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus also had a very positive influence on the nutritional quality of the heads, in terms of essential macro-mineral, total phenolic and inulin content. Micropropagation and mycorrhizal techniques appeared to be an efficient and sustainable strategy for improving the yield and nutritional quality of globe artichoke heads under field conditions.