GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUCCESSIONAL FIELD PLANTINGS OF ASPARAGUS SEEDLINGS

Commencing in September, seven successional plantings of asparagus (As paragus officinalis L.) seedlings were made at 4-weekly intervals with the varieties 'UC157' and 'Jersey Giant'. Commencing 4 weeks after ea ch planting, successional destructive harvests were made at 4-weekly i ntervals until autumn. A single destructive harvest was also made in D ecember in the following season. Plant growth fitted a logistic growth model with a heat unit time scale. Early planting favoured improved p lant growth. The allometric relationship between the relative growth r ate of the shoot and root had changed for all plantings by the Februar y harvest. It is suggested that changes in daylength mediated this alt eration, which provides for the partitioning of proportionately more d ry matter to the crown. In both seasons, bud formation was restricted until December. Although the total plant dry weights were similar, 'UC 157' produced more buds, shoots, and storage roots than 'Jersey Giant' .