| SYMPTOMS |
CAUSES |
CONTROLS |
| Tops turns yellow, brown, and die back;
orange, reddish, or black pustules appear on stems and leaves |
• Rust (fungal disease) |
• Cut tops close to ground in fall and
destroy; use registered fungicide; resistant varieties |
| Shoots wilt, turn yellow, then
brown; roots are reddish color |
• Fusarium wilt (fungal disease) |
• Destroy infected plants; rotate for 2-4
years; soil pasteurization |
| • Root rot (fungal disease) |
• Rotate; remove old plant debris; plant
in well drained area |
| Small spears |
• Immature plants |
• Asparagus produces small spears for the
first 2-3 years after planting |
| • Overharvested |
• Do not harvest late into the season;
plants cannot store enough food for following season |
| • Poor fertility |
• Amend soil as needed |
| • Poor drainage |
• Do not overwater; plant in well drained
area |
| Spears crooked |
• Mechanical injury from windblown sand
or mishandling |
|
| • Insect injury |
• Control asparagus beetles with
registered insecticide |
| Spears turn brown and soft |
• Frost injury |
• Protect spears with mulch when cold
temperatures are expected |
| • Root rot (fungal disease) |
• Remove old plant debris; rotate; plant
in well drained area |
| Leaves chewed; slime may be present on leaves;
no evidence of insects |
• Slugs (emerge at night and hide during
the day) |
• Use slug bait (either beer or
commercial bait) |
| Spears and leaves chewed or scarred |
• Asparagus beetles |
• Turn soil in winter to disturb
overwintering pests; protect young plants with cloth netting;
use registered insecticide |
