SQM treatments in asparagus: cycles and requirements

Main characteristics

This crop prefers long days and high light intensity, although light does not have a direct effect on shoot growth. The optimum temperature for growth is 19°C ± 7°C, while in cold areas, below 10–15°C, growth is affected.

The lifespan of asparagus varies between 6 and 12 years, depending on the number of harvests per season. With a single annual harvest, it can reach between 8 and 10 years, while with two harvests per year, the lifespan is reduced to 6 or 7 years.

The plant has an aerial part or frond (stems, branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds) and an underground part, made up of main roots—which store carbohydrates—rootlets—which absorb water and nutrients—and the crown or rhizome, where the vegetative buds that produce the shoots, the edible part, originate.

The plant’s yield is directly linked to the reserves accumulated in the main roots during the previous season, rather than to photosynthesis during the current season. Therefore, management of the aerial part is essential to ensure a good harvest the following year.

As for the soil, asparagus adapts to a wide range, although it performs best in loamy and sandy loam soils that are loose, deep, and well-drained. While it tolerates some salinity, it is susceptible to acidic soils, which makes constant pH monitoring necessary.