In the center of Buenos Aires Province, Azul, Argentina, asparagus cultivation is a productive alternative.In 1990, trials were initiated at the Experimental Unit of the Faculty of Agronomy of UNCPBA, in order to determine the technical and economic feasibility and to study the main limitations affecting production. This work aims to carry out a survey of the specific wealth (harmful and beneficial invertebrates) in asparagus trials of different ages and varieties. Also, to conduct a global bibliographic review on the presence of pests in asparagus plantations worldwide, and in other Latin American countries dedicated to asparagus production. Monitoring was carried out weekly in the turions throughout the harvest period and in the vegetative stage attractive traps and fall or pitfalls were placed to determine the specific richness of harmful and beneficial invertebrates associated with asparagus, throughout the crop cycle. The study carried out showed that few phytophagous invertebrates have been detected in asparagus plantations in Azul, province of Buenos Aires and in no case have they caused significant damage affecting production. Beneficial organisms were also gathered and it is of fundamental importance to promote their action, permanence and conservation in the system. They are fundamental in biological control as they act as natural enemies and regulators of the pests found in the system. In this way, this management can effectively complement other strategies such as cultural and chemical control.

The Argentine horticultural sector is mainly oriented to fresh production, resulting in agro-industry an opportunity to add value to the productions and extend the supply calendar. Currently there is a growing need to produce differentiated products of different ranges, both fresh and agro industrialized, and thus meet unmet market demand and generate new opportunities. In this sense, the sector of canned II range represents an alternative, especially for non-traditional vegetables such as asparagus, which produce a high proportion of short shoots daily, more suited to the production of preserves than fresh presentations. The objective of this work is to study the economic feasibility of the preparation of canned green asparagus for the region of the center of the province of Buenos Aires, using as a tool, for the economic study, the Gross Margin (MB). The work is based in the installation of a plant for the processing of green asparagus with the purpose of expanding the regional offer of fresh produce. This place will consist of a capacity of 24,000 kg of raw material, to be processed in 8-hour shifts, for three working months, producing a total of 48,840 canning jars. The economic results obtained indicate that this agro-industrial technique represents a great opportunity for adding value to a seasonal product. Therefore, the convenience of agroindustrial processing of preserves as an alternative for asparagus in an efficient manner is concluded.

Asparagus is a non-traditional perennial vegetable crop for which evaluation of the performance of different genotypes is required. With the aim of determining the productivity of a set of all-male genotypes from Italy, a trial was planted on 22/11/06 using large (PG) and small (PCH) seedlings. The following characters were evaluated: total (PFT) and commercial (PFC) fresh production, total (NTT) and commercial (NTC) spear number, calibre distribution (J: Jumbo; XL: Extra-Large; L: Large; M: Medium; S: Small and A: Asparagina), defects (DE: opened bracts; P: plague damage; and OD: other defects). Thirty-two harvests were carried out between 1/9/14 and 14/11/14. Data were analysed by ANOVA-LSD (P≥0.05). No significant differences were found between the two seedling sizes. From the thirty-two harvests, a mean productivity of 14.5t.ha-1 was obtained, with a commercial prime quality productivity of 5.4 t.ha-1. A total of 553,241 spears were obtained, of which 252,420 were of commercial prime quality, with an average weight of 21 g per spear. Regarding seedling size, no significant differences were found. The Italian genotypes performed better than the control genotype from the USA, with Eros outstanding for PFT, and Ercole, Eros, Italo and H-668 for PFC. For spears produced, significant differences were observed between hybrids: for NTT, Zeno, Eros, Ercole and H-668 stood out, while for NTC, Ercole. Regarding calibre distribution, Italo, UC-157, H-668, Zeno and Eros stood out for J; Eros, Italo, Zeno and H-668 for XL; Eros, Italo, Ercole and H-668, UC-157 and Zeno for L; Ercole, Eros and H-668, and UC-157 for M; UC157 and Ercole for S; and UC-157 and Ercole for A. In conclusion, all male hybrids represent a valuable production alternative.

Asparagus is a perishable vegetable that in Argentina requires its period of supply to be extended and the optimisation of its productivity and presentation, implementing different strategies such as the presentation of short spears (turions) and the use of bags and trays for Category IV products. To this end, the behaviour of the genotypes Ítalo, Zeno, Eros and Ercole, of Italian origin, versus UC-157, from the USA, as a control, was evaluated in the fifth year of productivity. Differences in the following characters were studied: total and commercial spear yield, number of total and commercial spears, calibre distribution and the proportion of defects observed (spiked and short spears). The following mean values were obtained: 578015 spears.ha-1, with a commercial production of 59 kg.ha-1. In postharvest, the evolution of fresh weight was evaluated, plus the influence of three types of packaging: tied bundles, trays and bags for short spears. The hybrid Ítalo demonstrated superior behaviour for primary production performance. Regarding production evolution, it was shown that it is possible to forward the harvest period by one month compared to field production. Additionally, daily harvesting is recommended in the glasshouse to avoid spiked spears. In postharvest the desirability of using bags and trays for Category IV was considered, in order to optimise the quality of the final product and to extend shelf-life. By these means, the importance of adequate planning before crop planting, including judicious choice of hybrid and the conditioning and presentation of the final product, was demonstrated.

Asparagus is a perennial dioecious species multiplied by seed means, which could be grown for green or blanched spears, with varieties specially bred for these purposes. In Argentina it has been cultivated since the XIXth century, where the first productions were established in Buenos Aires, San Juan and Rosario. The genetic breeding in this species has been relegated for long time to only improved populations with considerable variation. The development of biotechnological techniques gave a new impulse, arising numerous cultivars with increased yield and uniformity. A summary of the biotechnological tools that could be applied are presented; including genetic engineering mediated by Agrobacterium transformation, in which this species is one of the few monocotiledoneus plausible for this transformation.