Studies on the botanical characteristics of asparagus. I

Abstract

During the summer and the autumn, after the cutting season, the majority of crown buds of asparagus which produce edible spears in the following spring are formed. The present study was made to determine the relationship between the number of crown buds in the preceding autumn and the number of stalks produced in the following season. The experimental arrangements were as follows: Plot A: Left natural without cutting the spears. Plot B: Spears are cut soon after appearance up to the end of June and thereafter the stalks are allowed to grow until frost. Plot C: The same as Plot B, except that the cutting season was lengthened until the end of August. 1. The correlation between the number of crown buds in the preceding autumn and sum of spears and stalks produced in the following season varies with the length of cutting season. Namely, in the three plots tested, no definite correlation was observable in Plot A, while a limited positive correlation was seen in Plot C. 2. A high positive correlation was observed between the sum of spears and stalks produced in a growing season and the length of the cutting season. The longer the cutting season, the more the sum of spears and stalks. 3. The number of crown buds and roots newly formed in the current year decreased with the increase in the length of the cutting season. The amount of reserve food stored in the fleshy roots was the highest in Plot A, and the lowest in Plot C.