Potential of two cardoon varieties to produce biomass and oil under reduced irrigation and weed control inputs

Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.) is an important perennial energy plant, which may produce sufficient biomass under reduced inputs. A 4-years field study was conducted in northern Greece and was repeated for three years in central Greece to determine the productivity of two cardoon varieties (‘Bianco Avorio’ and ‘C12’) under different water (irrigated or non-irrigated) and weed control (weedy or weed-free) conditions. In northern Greece, the density of weeds grown with cardoon increased as years went by, but in central Greece decreased. The absence of irrigation and the presence of weeds significantly reduced cardoon dry biomass, seed and oil yields, especially in the first two years of cultivation. In both environments, irrigated with 90 mm cardoon achieved 22–42% and 35–42% greater dry biomass and seed yield, respectively, than achieved the non-irrigated crop. In weedy cardoon, the dry biomass or seed yields reductions were 33–66% or 41–64%, respectively, in central Greece and 21–95% or 8–99%, respectively, in northern Greece. In central Greece cardoon productivity increased as years went by, but in northern Greece decreased. Generally, the cv. C12 was more productive than the cv. Bianco Avorio. Conclusively, the cardoon cv. C12 could provide satisfactory dry biomass, seed and oil yields for energy use in semi-arid Mediterranean fields, without irrigation or weed control inputs, on condition that they have been successfully established the first year. However, cardoon should be irrigated and weeded in order to provide sufficient yields.