Asparagus: value of individual plant yield and fern characteristics as selection criteria

Abstract

The yield of individual plants in a population of Asparagus officinalis L. cv. 'Mary Washington 500W' was recorded for the first four and the 9th and 10th harvest seasons. The yield of both male and female plants declined between the two periods. Average yield of males was higher than that of females in all seasons. Therefore, selection of the highest yielding male plants to establish fields of cloned plants may result in higher yields than if the highest yielding female plants were selected. There were significant positive correlations (a) belween both market and total yields averaged over the 2nd-4th seasons and market yield averaged over the 9th and 10th seasons for males, and (b) between total yield of females averaged over the 2nd-4th seasons and market yield averaged over the 9th and 10th seasons. No significant correlations were found between fern vigour ratings, number of fern stalks per plant, or average early market yield in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seasons and mean market yield over the 9th and 10th seasons: hence, these characters cannot be used to identify plants that will remain highly productive for 9 or 10 harvest seasons. Conversely, the use of these criteria to select plants in old asparagus fields may not necessarily result in accurate identification of plants that are highly productive in the first four or five years after eSlablishment. K{~ywords

Estimates of Marketable Yield in Asparagus using Fern Vigor Index and a Minimum Number of Daily Harvest Records

“…Marketable yields from the first two harvest seasons were related to cumulative yields after 4 to 6 years (Bussell et al, 1987). However, second to fourth season yields were not associated with those from years 9 and 10 (Falloon and Nikoloff, 1986).…”

Productividad y calidad de cuatro híbridos de espárrago verde (Asparagus officinalis L. var. altilis) en invernadero

“…Diversos autores (Franken, 1970;Moon, 1976;Falloon y Nikoloff, 1986;Cattivelo, 2002) concuerdan en que las plantas estaminadas (masculinas) presentan mayor número de turiones mientras que las pistiladas (femeninas) tienen mayores diámetros.…”

Evaluación de siete poblaciones de espárrago (Asparagus officinalis L.)

“…Debido a la característica plurianual del cultivo, el período de evaluación es prolongado, pero, según Corriols (1983) y Fallon & Nikoloff (1986) la evaluación del rendimiento durante los dos primeros años de cosecha se correlaciona altamente con la productividad en períodos más prolongados, y por lo tanto, puede utilizarse como estimador del desempeño de los materiales. Otros autores afirman que, al ser el espárrago una planta dioica de polinización cruzada, presenta diferencias sexuales en parámetros productivos y de calidad de turión.…”

“…Otros autores afirman que, al ser el espárrago una planta dioica de polinización cruzada, presenta diferencias sexuales en parámetros productivos y de calidad de turión. Ellison et al (1960), Moon (1976), Fallon & Nikoloff (1986) y Gonzales Castañón (1990) afirman que las plantas estaminadas presentan mayor rendimiento mientras que las pistiladas presentan mayor diámetro de turión. En algunas poblaciones no existe esta diferencia en rendimiento por compensación entre el número de turiones y su diámetro (Thevenin, 1967;Bannerot et al, 1969;Ley et al, 1976;Cointry et al, 1996b).…”