International Asparagus Symposium

(La Molina, 29/10 – 01/11, 2009)

Evolution of soil chemical characteristics

and yields after the installation of a
commercial asparagus field in Ica

Sady Garcia B., Luis Garcia F.

 Objective
• Report the changes observed in the chemical
properties of an arid soil after the installation of a
commercial asparagus field and 10 years of
asparagus crop.

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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Materials and methods

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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 Characteristics of the field

• Location:
Pampa de los Castillos, Ica.

• Area: 350 Ha.

• Material:
Eolic with alluvial influence.

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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Soil profile (Consociación Yauca)
(Typic Torripsaments)

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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 Soil conditioning

• Subsolation
• Organic amendment
• Main fertilization
Macronutrients : 27 – 69 – 133 – 45 CaO – 30 MgO – 45 S
Micronutrients : Zn = 11 kg Ha-1
Fe = 3 ”
Ac Cit. = 25 ”

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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 Crop installation

Plantation :
September, 1998

Hybrid :
UC-157 F1

Planting density :
2.0 m x 0.4 m double row
(25 000 plants Ha-1)

Irrigation :
Drip irrigation. One line per row.

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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 Fertirrigation

Installation :
257 – 145 – 282 – 25 CaO – 35 MgO –
43 S – 4 B

Production :

1st Harvest : 240 – 100 – 220 –

45 CaO – 35 MgO – 40 S – 4 B

2nd Harvest : 250 – 115 – 210 –

40 CaO – 30 MgO – 35 S – 4 B

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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 Results

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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Table 1. Evolution of soil chemical characteristics after 10 years of
asparagus crop

Characteristics 1998 2003 2007

pH (---) 8.0 7.7 7.5
CaCO3 (%) 0.5 0.1 0.1
E. C. s.e. (mS cm-1) 4.0 2.7 5.6
O.M. (%) 0.3 0.5 0.5
Extract. P (mg kg-1) 5.0 25.0 38.0
Extract. K “ 113 283 705
C.E.C. (cmol kg-1) 7.0 7.9 8.0
Ca2+ “ 5.6 5.9 6.0
K+ “ 0.3 0.7 0.7
ESP (%) 5.7 3.8 3.7

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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Table 2. Evolution of the content of soil micronutrients after 10
years of asparagus crop

Micronutrient 1998 2003 2007

(mg kg-1)
Fe n.d. 69.0 27.4
Mn n.d. 33.0 26.5
Zn 0.4 2.0 4.1
Cu n.d 3.2 2.0
B 0.4 1.1 1.5

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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Table 3. Variation of some biometric characteristics in asparagus
crop

Year Plant size # of stems Dry weight

(cm) (U m-1) (kg m-1)

2003 1.99 73.59 2.56

2005 1.87 84.15 2.00

2008 1.82 91.24 2.07

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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Figure 1. Average yield of fresh asparagus sprouts during 10
production years

18 16,8 16,8
15,6 15,8 15,9
Rendimiento (TM.Ha-1) 16 15,0 15,4

14
11,9
12
10
8
6 5,0

4
2 1,4

0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Año de producción

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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 Table 4. Evolution of nutrients content in the dry matter of
asparagus fern

Nutrients 2003 2005 2008

N (mg g-1) 3.38 3.40 3.37
P ” 0.24 0.21 0.24
K ” 1.82 1.71 1.82
Ca ” 1.48 1.31 1.15
Mg ” 0.25 0.33 0.34
S ” 0.40 0.31 0.29
Fe (μg g-1) 243 203 211
Mn ” 63 70 48
Zn ” 31 23 25
Cu ” 11 12 11
B ” 69 73 118
S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.
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 Conclusions
• The contents of extractable P and K in the soil increased
6 to 7-fold after 10 years of asparagus crop.

• Slight variations were observed in soil pH, organic matter

content and cation exchange capacity.

• The concentration of nutrients in the dry matter of

asparagus was almost stable, indicating an adequate
fertilization.

S. Garcia B. y L. Garcia F. 2009.

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