Crown rot coupled with winter injury can reduce newly seeded and established asparagus plantings by up to 50% or more in a year.
Infected seedlings will exhibit stunting, yellowing and wilting of the foliage as the primary roots are rotted off.
Established plants will produce spindly spears in the spring. Shoots become dwarfed, wilted and brown in color.
Later in the season one or more shoots per crown appear stunted, turn yellow, then can wilt and die. Roots are also rotted and discolored.
The disease is caused by complex of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. asparagi, Fusarium proliferatum and Fusarium verticillioides
The disease is seed- and soil-borne. New plantings should be established on soil (well-drained, sand-loam soils are preferred) where asparagus has not been previously grown for at least five years.
Use strong healthy plants (1 year crowns) to start a plantation and to ensure good plant health by following good planting and growing procedures such as ertilization, insect and weed control and avoid over harvesting.
