Yields and quality of biomasses and grain in Cynara cardunculus L. grown in southern Italy, as affected by genotype and environmental conditions

Abstract

Cardoon is a crop well adapted to Mediterranean climatic conditions that is able to grow also in marginal lands thus reducing competition for land with food crops. It is considered a key crop for bio-refinery since it allows producing different interesting molecules for industrial application. From stems it is possible to obtain large amounts of cellulose, grains are a good source of oil and proteins and roots can be a source of inulin. The aim of this research has been to evaluate the productive levels of different genotypes of cardoon in two different climatic conditions of Mediterranean cropland (a site in the Vesuvius plain and a site in the internal hilly cropland). In both the sites, during 3 years (from 2012-2013 to 2014-2015), three genotypes (Altilis, Gigante e Trinaseed) were cultivated with 2 planting densities (4 and 8 plants per m 2 ). A low input cropping system was adopted (no irrigation and 150 kg ha -1 of N supplied as ammonium nitrate). In flat site (NA-Ac.), lignocellulosic biomass yield was 19 t ha -1 d.m. and grain yield 2.7 t ha -1 on the average of the 3 years period. In the hilly site, biomass yield was similar (20 t ha -1 d.m.) while grain yield was higher (3.9 t ha -1 on the average) as compared to the flat site. As regards biomass composition, an increase of hemicellulose and a decrease of cellulose content were measured in the flat site, maybe as a response of plant to the higher drought stress.

Cynara cardunculus L. as a Multipurpose Crop for Plant Secondary Metabolites Production in Marginal Stressed Lands

“…), with a positive impact on the environment and farmers' income (Toscano et al, 2016). Moreover, the cardoon biomass, which contains cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, can be used to produce energy (Raccuia and Melilli, 2007;Ierna et al, 2012;Ciancolini et al, 2013;Toscano et al, 2016;Ottaiano et al, 2017;Gominho et al, 2018;Petropoulos et al, 2019;Turco et al, 2019). Recent studies, on morphological and physiological characteristics and on seed germination process, showed intraspecific variability among different cardoon populations under salt and moisture stresses (Mauromicale and Ierna, 2004;Raccuia et al, 2004a;Benlloch-González et al, 2005;Pagnotta and Noorani, 2014;Toscano et al, 2016).…”

High Fiber Cakes from Mediterranean Multipurpose Oilseeds as Protein Sources for Ruminants

“…A common feature of these crops is the relatively low requirement in terms of cultivation inputs [8,9,10]. Cardoon and hemp oils can be used for different purposes such human consumption, biodiesel production and as traditional medicine ingredient [11,12,13]. Similarly, tobacco oil finds use as a raw material in manufacturing soaps, paints, alkyd resins, lubricants, fuel, besides as edible nicotine-free oil [14,15].…”

Comparison of Different Possible Technologies for Epoxidation of Cynara cardunculus Seed Oil

“…The cardoon seed oil came from Acerra, Naples (Italy), an open area of Vesuvius plain (28 m a.s.l., meters above sea level), characterized by dry and very warm spring-summer-time and by sandy loam soils. [34] The soil was based on clay (14.4%), silt (22.6%), and sand (63.0%), neutral (pH 7.3), with a good content of N (0.2%) and organic matter (2.6%). The oil was extracted with a mechanical press, having operational capacity of 14 kg h −1 and temperature regulated at 50°C.…”