Articles
COMPARISON OF THE SUITABILITY OF ASPARAGUS CULTIVARS FOR BLANCHED AND GREEN SPEAR PRODUCTION
The mean total yields of all cultivars grown for green and blanched spears were almost the same but marketable yield and first grade yield of blanched spears were higher by 12% and 25%, respectively.
Yields of green spears were more dependent on temperature during harvest period than yields of blanched spears.
Mean weights of a blanched spear was higher than that of a green spear by over 60% ranging from 38% to about 80% depending on cultivar whereas the number of green spears was almost 50% higher than that of blanched spears.
Marketable yields of blanched spears were for most cultivars higher than those of green spears; for Bruneto, Aneto, Desto and Larac by more than 30%. Mary Washington was the only cultivar to give the marketable yield of green spears higher than that of blanched spears by over 10%.
The highest yields of both blanched and green spears were obtained with Franklim, Limbras 22, Limbras 18 and Lucullus Rekord, of blanched spears alone with Larac and Desto, and of green spears alone with D-231. Franklim and Lucullus R. grown for green spears had much lower percentage of first grade spears than other cultivars except Bruneto.
UC 72, UC 800 and Mary Washington 500W were characterized by the lowest yield of blanched and green spears.
Mary Washington was among cultivars with the lowest yield of blanched spears and Bruneto of green spears.