Implication of using silver nano-particles and mycorrhizae symbiosis on growth, yield and quality of artichoke plants

A field experiments were carried out at the experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Moshtohor, Benha university, Qalubiya Governorate, Egypt during the two successive seasons of 2010/2011 and 2011/2012, to study the response of artichoke plant to chemical phosphorus fertilizers (calcium super phosphate, 15.5 % soluble P₂O₅); or natural phosphorus fertilizer (rock phosphate, 27% insoluble P₂O₅ as source of P) only or with inoculation by Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizas (VAM) (Glomus mosseae) and study their effects on the growth, yield and its components as well as flower head quality of globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) cv. Fransawy, Which was treated with anti-fungal stumps or nano-silver.
Results showed that using RP + VAM, enhanced plant growth, increased yield and improved head quality than the control (SP +AF). Also, inoculating with VAM gave good results than untreated in the case of using RP. Also, pre-planting with NS gave good results (in most cases) in terms of vigor growth, higher yield and head quality as compared with AF. Therefore, using RP + VAM + NS gave the highest values of growth parameters and increased early and total yield with the best head quality as compared with all other used treatments. This increase in yield as a result of using this particular treatment reached 20.3 and 18.6 % as an average in both seasons for total yield per plant and per feddan, respectively, as compared with plants supplied with SP + AF (control).