Impacts of long-term application of best management practices on yields and root carbohydrate content in asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) (UK)

Yield physiology of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) is strongly influenced by biotic factors such as crown and root rot caused Fusarium spp. abiotic conditions precipitation or temperatures, duration each harvest, field management practices. Asparagus yields are linked to the availability soluble carbohydrates (CHO) in storage system which considered a key factor productivity. The aim this study was quantify impacts long-term application range potential Best Management Practices (BMPs) on yield carbohydrate content green trial. trial established 2016 with ‘Gijnlim’ variety. Commercial were collected 2018, 2019 2020. Root determined BMPs included (1) companion crops - Rye (Secale cereale L.), Mustard (Sinapis alba (2) interrow surface mulch applications either straw PAS 100 compost (Publicly available specification) combination shallow soil disturbance (SSD), (3) conventional practice modifications tillage applying SSD not (4) zero-tillage option. Annual re-ridging (R) ridging (NR) applied BMP options 1–3. had no significant impact while annual negatively affected total treatments bare interrows, managed without SSD. Conventional associated 22% reduction ∼€4250 ha−1 loss revenue compared Zero-tillage treatment. Companion cropping mustard did have yields. however reductions > 20% practice. Compost interrows (at 25 t per year) resulted improvements 20%, 10% 34% 2020, respectively, No correlation observed between results confirmed that yield, thus farm income can be significantly improved through implementation several investigated.