Articles
IRRIGATION RESPONSES OF ESTABLISHED ASPARAGUS
Article number
415_47
Pages
333 – 342
Language
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at Lincoln, New Zealand, to investigate the effect of soil moisture deficit (SMD) during summer-autumn fern growth on spear yield in the following spring harvest.
The experiment was conducted on a deep, well-drained silt loam soil with good water-holding capacity.
Five irrigation treatments were applied to established Jersey Giant and UC157 during fern growth in five seasons, and they produced maximum SMDs ranging from 90 to 231 mm.
The cultivars responded differently to the treatments.
The export-grade spear yield of Jersey Giant was largely unaffected by SMD over the range tested.
In contrast, UC157 was intolerant of low SMD (i.e. well-watered conditions); yield increased linearly with SMD over the 90–231 mm range.
Even at the dry end of the range, SMDs were not severe enough to reduce yield.
The resilience of both cultivars to high SMD and their lack of positive response to irrigation, even in seasons with quite low rainfall, suggests that irrigation is likely to be beneficial only in lower rainfall environments or on soils with low water-holding capacity.
Even on light soils, irrigation at too low SMD may reduce yield in UC157.
The experiment was conducted on a deep, well-drained silt loam soil with good water-holding capacity.
Five irrigation treatments were applied to established Jersey Giant and UC157 during fern growth in five seasons, and they produced maximum SMDs ranging from 90 to 231 mm.
The cultivars responded differently to the treatments.
The export-grade spear yield of Jersey Giant was largely unaffected by SMD over the range tested.
In contrast, UC157 was intolerant of low SMD (i.e. well-watered conditions); yield increased linearly with SMD over the 90–231 mm range.
Even at the dry end of the range, SMDs were not severe enough to reduce yield.
The resilience of both cultivars to high SMD and their lack of positive response to irrigation, even in seasons with quite low rainfall, suggests that irrigation is likely to be beneficial only in lower rainfall environments or on soils with low water-holding capacity.
Even on light soils, irrigation at too low SMD may reduce yield in UC157.
Publication
Authors
D.R. Wilson, S.M. Sinton, H.A. Fraser-Kevern
Keywords
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