field experiment was carried out at Baramoon Research Station, Mansoura, Dakahlya Governorate, during the two seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, to study the effect of bio and mineral NK fertilizer levels and their combinations on plant growth, productivity and quality of globe artichoke cv. Hyrious. Algae extracts (Bluegreen), and potassium dissolving bacteria i.e., Baccillus circulans (potssioumag) were used as biofertilizer sources for N and K, respectively beside mineral NK levels.
Results showed that the superiority values of plant survival, plant height and number of leaves were detected with decreasing the recomended NK mineral dose to 75% plus biofertilizers twice / season. The same combination treatment significantly produced the highest early and total yield, moreover, the mixture of full mineral dose (100%) and biofertilizers significantly proved superiority in total yield compared with the control. In addition, biofertilizers plus 75% or 100% mineral NK reflected improvements in all measured parameters of flower head, i.e., weight, length and diameter as well as receptacle, i.e., weight, length and thickness as compared to the mineral fertilizing alone. Whereas, the highest values in all of these parameters were recorded may be due to the combination between 75% NK mineral dose and biofertilizers twice a season. In addition, the highest quality expressed as the highest values of inulin, total carbohydrates and lowest value of fiber percentage was recorded by using 75% mineral NK and biofertilizers twice / season. Concerning NK receptacle content, the highest values were recorded as a result of fertilizing the plants by 75% mineral NK plus biofertilizers twice / season.
Conclusively, this study suggests that using biofertilizers twice / season could be useful for saving 25% of the recommended mineral
NK with improving in survival plants, vegetative growth parameters, early and total yield as well as its quality.