Frost Hardiness of Asparagus officinalis L.

Abstract

Frost damage to `Jersey Giant' asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) spears was evaluated in noncovered and black plastic-covered field plots following a spring frost episode. In the noncovered plots, 78% of spears were killed as compared to only 17% under the plastic rowcovers. Laboratory studies using natural frost simulations indicated that the spears of both treatments were frost hardy to -2.8C. Air temperature data in the field plots during the frost episode indicated that spears in noncovered plots were at lower temperatures (-4.0 to -4.8C vs. -2.8C) ≈4 to 5 hours longer than spears under rowcovers. The large difference in the spear-kill may be due to the difference in the combined effect of the degree and duration of freezing to which the spears had been exposed.