PREFACE

Asparagus crop has become more and more important during these last 10 years both in traditional countries with temperate climate and in many subtropical regions. Open pollinated varieties are replaced by "dioecious" and all-male hybrids, however the damages caused by patogenic fungi and pests resulted in a reduction of spear yield per unit. It is hoped that the meeting contributed to overcome this problem so that a better exploitation of hybrid heterosis will be possible.

Besides 5 oral and 1 poster session, during the symposium two professional excursions were organized. The first one started with a visit to asparagus growers cooperatives in Altedo (Bologna) and ended in the varietal field trials at Mezzolara (Bologna). The second tour, in Montanaso Lombardo (Milano), included a visit to the Research Institute for Vegetable Crops, where a wide collection of doubled-haploid androgenetic clones and variety field trials of asparagus were shown. A post symposium professional tour was also organized. This involved a visit to Resteya farm in Gaiarine (Treviso), specialized in the production of asparagus and other vegetable crop seedlings in polystirene-pots. The tour continued in a pleasant area near the mouth of the Po River where asparagus and other vegetable crops are widely cultivated. Participants visited also two regional research centers involved in asparagus field experiments: "Po di Tramontana" (ESAV) and "Centro Serre" (ERSA).

Deepest gratitude is due to all people who worked for the symposium expecially to Massimo Schiavi and Beatrice Fornoni and to the members of the organizing committee. Acknowledgments are also made to the financial support: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Roma), Research Institute for Vegetable Crops (Salerno), ERSO (Cesena), Ferrara Provincial Administration, Camera di Commercio di Ferrara, Ferrara Counsil, CONVASE (Bologna) CORAM (Bologna), Resteya (Treviso) and Mantovani-Vicentini (Ferrara). Lastly a special thanks is due to the Centro Operativo Ortofrutticolo di Ferrara for hosting this meeting.

I do hope that partecipants at the 7th International Symposium improved their knowledge about this delicious vegetable and had a very happy stay in Italy.

A. Falavigna
Convener


OPENING ADDRESS

Authorities, Ladies and Gentlemen

I should like to extend a warm welcome to you all on behalf of the Research Institute for Vegetable Crops - Pontecagnano and Montanaso Lombardo.

It is with much pride that I undertake this task - the pride of one who has witnessed progress in a field which had previously found no valid solution for the correct diffusion of Asparagus cultivation in Italy - be it in old or new surroundings. Whilst a host of reasons may be offered in explanation of this fact we can reduce them to a handful amongst which the most important are: 1) Lack of innovation of variety; 2) Delay in the application of the most up-to-date cultivation techniques; 3) Incomplete ability to keep root parasitic fungi under control.

The opportunity to make improvements in this field has been offered to our Institute by the "Finalized Vegetable Crop Programme" sponsored by The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and by ERSO project financied by Emilia Romagna Region.

A possible improvement of the crop can derive from the existance of numerous Asparagus species (some 240 species, are listed in the Kewensis Index) and also from their considerably widespread area of origin: Asiatic Coast and Europe (A. officinalis) ; Caucasus, Southern Africa, temperate Asia, Abissinia, Madagascar (A. madagascariensis) Japan (A. lucidus), Persia (A. maritimus), Arabia (A. retrofractus), besides many other countries.

Such a widespread area of origin and the perennial habitus of the species resulted in a definitive "plasticity" in terms of a genetic background. That is why for instance A. officinalis can be grown in extremely cold areas of Poland vast steppes to the tropical heat, with cosmopolitan "facies".

As interpreters of the intrinsic potential of the species, it has been decided to consecrate this 7th International Symposium to the following topics:

1. An increase in genetic variability in the context of the numerous existing species in various climatic conditions.
2. The orientation of genetic variability mainly towards the synthesis of all-male hybrids resistant to biotic or abiotic stresses, with peculiar characteristics of the commercial product.
3. To include innovative technology in the cultivation technique, mineral fertilization, irrigation, plant density etc.

In conclusion, I trust that this 7th International Symposium will contribute to improve the position of the asparagus crop from a genetic, agronomic, phytopathology and technological view point in each and every part of the world.

With this, I wish you all continued success in any on-going research which is going to be submitted. It is my wish that your stay here will be a pleasant one.


S. Porcelli
Director of the Research
Institute for Vegetable
Crops, Pontecagnano
(Salerno)