STEMPHYLIUM DISEASE TOLERANCE IN ASPARAGUS OFFICINALIS L.

In cultivar performance trials carried out at field sites in New Zealand, the French asparagus cultivars Aneto, Cito and Desto were more susceptible to defoliation by Stemphylium disease than the North American cultivars Jersey Giant, Rutgers Beacon and UC157. In later studies, Asparagus officinalis accessions were screened for resistance to Stemphylium vesicarium under controlled environmental conditions.
Although none of the accessions evaluated showed outstanding levels of resistance, statistically significant differences in disease susceptibility were observed between accessions.
The differences between the French cultivars Aneto, Cito, Desto and the North American cultivar Rutgers Beacon, however, were not shown to be statistically significant.

Tolerance to Stemphylium disease observed in the field appears to be affected by the growth form of the fern produced by mature asparagus plants.
The fern produced by the French cultivars Aneto, Cito and Desto is usually short, low branching and compact.
In comparison, the fern produced by North American cultivars Jersey Giant, Rutgers Beacon and UC157 is taller, higher branching and relatively open.
Although the susceptibility of plant tissue to S. vesicarium may be similar in many asparagus cultivars, those that produce relatively short, compact fern growth in the field are likely to provide a more favourable microclimate for fungal infection.

VIII International Asparagus Symposium

P.G. Broadhurst

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1996.415.55