PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF THE THIRD IACT AT CHILLÁN, CHILE

The third International Asparagus Cultivar Trial (IACT) at Chillán, Chile (36°32' S; 71°55' W) was established in December 2002, on a volcanic soil, using 14 week-old plantlets. The experimental design was in randomised blocks with 4 replications. The plots consisted of two rows of plants each 5 m long. Distance between the rows was 1.5 m and plant distance within the rows was 0.25 m. The evaluated cultivars were: 'Fileas', 'UC-115', 'JWC 1', 'Guelph Millennium', 'Gijnlim', 'Plaverd', 'Ciprés', 'New Jersey (NJ) 953', 'NJ 956', 'NJ 977', 'NJ 978', 'NJ 1019', 'Jersey Deluxe', 'Jersey Giant', 'Jersey Supreme', 'Dulce Verde', 'Apollo' and 'UC-157'. In 2004, the first harvest year, the plots were harvested daily during four weeks. Spears were trimmed at 18 cm long after harvest. Cultivars with highest yield were 'NJ 953' (1955 kg/ha) and 'J. Deluxe' (1623 kg/ha). The lowest yield was obtained by 'Dulce Verde' (286 kg/ha), 'Fileas' (440 kg/ha) and 'UC-115' (442 kg/ha). Mean spear weight ranged from 14.8 to 22.1 g. Cultivars 'NJ 953', 'NJ 956', 'NJ 977', 'Ciprés' and 'Apollo' had a mean spear weight over 20 g, and cvs. 'Plaverd', 'Gijnlim' and 'JWC 1' less than 16 g. Percentage of spears infected by purple spot (Stemphylium vesicarium) during harvest ranged from 2.1 to 13.2% of total spears. Cultivars 'J. Giant', 'J. Deluxe', 'NJ 953', and 'Guelph Millennium' had over 10% of infection, and 'NJ 977', 'Apollo', and 'UC-115' less than 5%. For the most precocious cultivars, 'NJ 1019', 'J. Giant', 'NJ 953', 'NJ 956', 'NJ 977' and UC-157, harvest started by the end of August. The latest ones were 'Fileas', 'Guelph Millennium', and 'Ciprés' for which harvest started around September 15.