Effects of Mulching on Early-Spring Green Asparagus Yield and Quality under Cultivation in Plastic Tunnels
Mulching significantly increases the crop yield and quality by positively affecting the physical features of the soil. The effect of multiple mulching treatments on soil temperature, yield, and nutrient composition of green asparagus grown in a plastic tunnel was assessed. Two mulch materials: trans...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/5/395 |
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| author | Lifei Chen Xiangfei Zhu Jingli Chen Jie Wang Gang Lu |
| author_facet | Lifei Chen Xiangfei Zhu Jingli Chen Jie Wang Gang Lu |
| author_sort | Lifei Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Mulching significantly increases the crop yield and quality by positively affecting the physical features of the soil. The effect of multiple mulching treatments on soil temperature, yield, and nutrient composition of green asparagus grown in a plastic tunnel was assessed. Two mulch materials: transparent plastic film (PF) and rice husk (RH), were applied and compared with non-mulching treatment (CK). The soil temperatures at the soil surface and 10 cm below it were generally higher in the PF mulch than in the CK during the spring. PF mulch accelerated early spear emergence and growth, which led to harvesting 16 days earlier than in the CK. Under the PF mulch, the early yield of spears increased by 26.6% from January to the end of March, and the annual gross income by 14.8% because of the higher price resulting from the significantly higher marketable spear length and diameter; however, they were reduced in the RH mulch. Most nutrient compositions, such as soluble sugar, ascorbic acid, rutin, flavonoid content, and total antioxidant activity, were significantly increased in the PF mulch treatment. PF mulch might benefit green asparagus production during early spring because of its ability to promote early spear emergence and growth. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:47:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ebfddb2a6fb84a3cb480a019763431e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:47:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj.art-ebfddb2a6fb84a3cb480a019763431e72023-11-23T11:16:38ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242022-05-018539510.3390/horticulturae8050395Effects of Mulching on Early-Spring Green Asparagus Yield and Quality under Cultivation in Plastic TunnelsLifei Chen0Xiangfei Zhu1Jingli Chen2Jie Wang3Gang Lu4College of Life Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117, ChinaKey Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaKey Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaInstitute of Vegetable Research, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Science, Ningbo 315040, ChinaKey Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Growth, Department of Horticulture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaMulching significantly increases the crop yield and quality by positively affecting the physical features of the soil. The effect of multiple mulching treatments on soil temperature, yield, and nutrient composition of green asparagus grown in a plastic tunnel was assessed. Two mulch materials: transparent plastic film (PF) and rice husk (RH), were applied and compared with non-mulching treatment (CK). The soil temperatures at the soil surface and 10 cm below it were generally higher in the PF mulch than in the CK during the spring. PF mulch accelerated early spear emergence and growth, which led to harvesting 16 days earlier than in the CK. Under the PF mulch, the early yield of spears increased by 26.6% from January to the end of March, and the annual gross income by 14.8% because of the higher price resulting from the significantly higher marketable spear length and diameter; however, they were reduced in the RH mulch. Most nutrient compositions, such as soluble sugar, ascorbic acid, rutin, flavonoid content, and total antioxidant activity, were significantly increased in the PF mulch treatment. PF mulch might benefit green asparagus production during early spring because of its ability to promote early spear emergence and growth.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/5/395<i>Asparagus officinalis</i>mulchsoil temperatureyieldeconomic benefitsnutrient composition |
| spellingShingle | Lifei Chen Xiangfei Zhu Jingli Chen Jie Wang Gang Lu Effects of Mulching on Early-Spring Green Asparagus Yield and Quality under Cultivation in Plastic Tunnels Horticulturae <i>Asparagus officinalis</i> mulch soil temperature yield economic benefits nutrient composition |
| title | Effects of Mulching on Early-Spring Green Asparagus Yield and Quality under Cultivation in Plastic Tunnels |
| title_full | Effects of Mulching on Early-Spring Green Asparagus Yield and Quality under Cultivation in Plastic Tunnels |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Mulching on Early-Spring Green Asparagus Yield and Quality under Cultivation in Plastic Tunnels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Mulching on Early-Spring Green Asparagus Yield and Quality under Cultivation in Plastic Tunnels |
| title_short | Effects of Mulching on Early-Spring Green Asparagus Yield and Quality under Cultivation in Plastic Tunnels |
| title_sort | effects of mulching on early spring green asparagus yield and quality under cultivation in plastic tunnels |
| topic | <i>Asparagus officinalis</i> mulch soil temperature yield economic benefits nutrient composition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/8/5/395 |
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