Effect of Plant Density on Oil Yield in Cynara Cardunculus L. to Produce Biodiesel

摘要

Different studies on cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.) about biomass productions for different crop utilization showed the potential of this crop to be suitable to different biomass application, such as lignocellulosic biomass for energy, seed for oil extraction to obtain biodiesel in Mediterranean environment (Raccuia and Melilli, 2007). Aiming to maximize the biomass and oil yields researches about the influence of genotypes and plant densities were carried out. This trial was carried out at Ragusa (South Sicily), in 2006-07 growing season. Two cardoon genotypes (one C. cardunculus L. var. altilis, "C" and C. cardunculus L. var. sylvestris "S3") were grown at four different plant density (1,2,4 and 8 plant m~(-2)).