garden asparagus is thought originally to be native in eastern Europe or western Asia, perhaps in or near the Caucasus, although it is widely naturalised inland and on the coast.” But wild asparagus is becoming increasingly rare. It is found only on the coasts of northern Spain, northwestern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Ireland. And some of the known populations comprise as few ...

A protease was purified from the growing point of asparagus, Asparagus officinalis, using a cystatin-Sepharose column. The asparagus protease is the first protease isolated from the growing point of a plant tissue and from Liliaceae. Its molecular mass was estimated to be 28 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The optimum pH of the enzyme was 7 at 30 degrees C using casein as a substrate. The enzyme was strongly ...

The life table and consumption rate of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) reared on asparagus, Asparagus officinalis L. (Asparagales: Asparagaceae) were studied under laboratory conditions to assess their interaction. Development, survival, fecundity, and consumption data were analyzed by the age-stage, twosex life table. This study indicated that asparagus is a natural host...

The common and spotted asparagus beetles (Crioceris asparagi (L.) and Crioceris duodecimpunctata (L.), respectively) are host-specific pests of asparagus, and frequently occur wherever asparagus is grown. The common asparagus beetle is the more serious of the two pests. It emerges earlier in the season, and both adults and larvae can cause damage to the asparagus crop by chewing spears and remo...

Cultured asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L. cv Y6) cells induced to regenerate into whole plants through somatic embryogenesis secreted a 38-kD protein into cell walls. The full-length cDNA sequence of this protein (Asparagus officinalis peroxidase 1 [AoPOX1]) determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed similarity with plant peroxidases. AoPOX1 transcripts were particu...

Antioxidant activity of asparagus, broccoli and their juices was evaluated using 2,20-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,20-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and b-carotene bleaching assays. Asparagus showed greater antioxidant activity than broccoli. Asparagus juice also had greater antioxidant activity than broccoli juice. Methanol and acetone extracts of asparagus and ...