Best Management Practices to Alleviate Deep-Seated Compaction in Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) Interrows (UK)

• Cover crops do not alleviate compaction in asparagus interrows. Straw mulch combination with shallow soil disturbance reduces compaction. Zero-tillage did increase asparagus. Field operations associated UK production (re-ridging and intensive foot vehicular trafficking of the wheelings) can result severe deep-seated interrows, impacting on crop health productivity. In this project, we investigate long-term efficacy a range Best Management Practices (BMPs) targeted at preventing or remediating ( Asparagus officinalis L.) interrows as compared to Conventional practice. BMPs included (1) companion - Rye Sereale cecale L.), Mustard Sinapis alba (2) interrow surface applications (straw PAS 100 compost (SSD)), (3) modifications conventional tillage practice (R) ridging (NR) applying SSD SSD) (4) zero-tillage option. general, cropping had no effect water infiltration rates Application incorporation straw however significantly reduced >0.45 m beyond working depth subsoiler (0.25 m). Composts mulches reduce within 3 years annual application. Further, equivalent treatment (Bare No-SSD R) was higher PR values NR). These findings show that extremely high levels re-ridging, traffic be alleviated using SSD.