Market Quality of Asparagus -- Effects of Maturity at Harvest and of High Carbon Dioxide Atmospheres During Simulated Transit

Report Summary: Exposing harvested asparagus spears to controlled atmospheres containing 20 percent carbon dioxide (C02 ) for 24 hours effectively reduced the incidence of bacterial soft rot at the butt end during subsequent holding of the spears in air (normal atmosphere) for about 1 week at 36°, 41°, or 50° F. An initially high (20 percent) but gradually decreasing concentration of C02 reduced soft rot at the butt end of spears in a simulated air transit test of 4 days at 59°. Neither treatment, however, was effective in reducing soft rot at the tips. Bacterial soft rot at the tips of spears was significantly lower in less mature tight tips than in more mature loose or feathered tips. Culling spears with loose tips before shipment would reduce market losses in this crop.