Abstract
The effect of salinity on germination, first-year growth, and spear and fern yield of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) was determined in germination dishes, crocks, and field plots, respectively. Saline treatments were imposed by irrigating with water that contained equal weights of NaCl and CaCl2. Spear yield was reduced 2.0% for each unit increase in salinity above 4.1 d S · m−1. Yield reduction was attributed primarily to a reduction in individual spear weight. Mature asparagus plants would be considered the most salt-tolerant crop commercially available. Asparagus possessed nearly the same salt tolerance for germination and spear production with soil salinities <7.2 d S·m−1. Above 7.2 dS·m−1, germination was less salt-tolerant. First-year growth was significantly more salt-sensitive than growth in subsequent years.