East Lansing, Michigan
May 16, 2008
The perfect early summer barbecue
wouldn’t be complete without fresh asparagus. Michigan is a big
player in the asparagus field, ranking second nationwide only to
California in total planting – about 12,000 acres, valued at
more than $15 million.
It may be a lot, but it’s 30 percent less than the 18,000 acres
the state boasted in 1997.
The problem facing asparagus farmers is that, after the first
crop, yield goes down because of diseases such as fusarium and
phytophthora, which build up over time in asparagus fields.
To regain some lost asparagus yields, a team of
Michigan State University (MSU)
experts -- with funding from Project GREEEN (Generating Research
and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs),
Michigan’s plant agriculture research initiative housed at MSU
-- will explore ways to reduce soil disease and increase plant
vigor by finding the best possible soil fumigants, fungicides,
herbicides and planting methods.
“Because of the complexity of asparagus replant suppression, we
have adopted a multidisciplinary approach to fighting the
problem,” said Mathieu Ngouajio, associate professor of
horticulture. “If nothing is done in the short term, the decline
in asparagus acreage will likely continue as more and more
growers are forced to abandon unproductive fields.”
Others on his team are Mary Hausbeck, MSU professor of plant
pathology; Darryl Warncke, professor of crop and soil sciences;
Norm Myers, Oceana County Extension director; Bernard Zandstra,
professor of horticulture; John Bakker, executive director of
the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board; and several farmers.
Through extensive research, the team hopes to find a fumigant
that cleanses the soil of toxic diseases, a nutrient management
program that strengthens asparagus plants’ vigor, an appropriate
herbicide to control weeds, disease-free planting methods to
reduce the spread of disease and new cultivars with improved
replant performance.
If all goes well, Michigan farmers will continue providing
affordable, high quality asparagus for picturesque backyard
barbecues for years to come.
Founded in 1997, Project GREEEN is a cooperative effort between
plant-based commodities and businesses together with the
Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU Extension and the
Michigan Department of Agriculture to advance Michigan’s economy
through its plant-based agriculture.
To learn more about Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at
MSU, visit
http://www.greeen.msu.edu. |
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