ISHS Acta Horticulturae 589: X International Asparagus Symposium
GROWTH OF ASPARAGUS CROWNS WITH INCREASING NITROGEN RATES AT THREE DIFFERENT SITES |
| Authors: | C. Krarup, A. Krarup, R. Pertierra |
| Keywords: | Asparagus officinalis, root, bud, organic matter, shoot, soils and temperature. |
| Abstract:
Nitrogen fertilization has become a matter of concern because of costs and possible contamination of water systems. To ascertain nitrogen recommendations for asparagus nurseries, seeds of cultivar Atlas were sown at three different sites in Chile. They were separated by ± 400 km north and south from the central one (32º25¢S to 39º30¢S), and had different soils and environmental conditions. The soils were fertilized with standard rates of P, K and Ca according to soil analysis, and five rates of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg N/ha) were applied at each site. Plants were harvested after six months and a) root and shoot length, b) root, shoot and bud number, and c) root and shoot weight were measured. Results indicated large differences in crown growth between sites, with the most northern site producing crowns almost six times larger than the coolest southern site. Crown size was similar at the north and intermediate sites. Response to nitrogen rates was almost identical at all sites. Within sites, in general, rates of nitrogen had different effects for some growth parameters only when comparing 0 kg N/ha to the rest of the rates. These results imply that application of 50 kg N/ha is enough for crown production at most sites. | |
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