Vegetative Propagation of Asparagus from Lateral Buds

Procedures of vegetative propagation of asparagus were studied using lateral bud culture. Lateral buds excised from a spear were placed on the Murashige and Skoog's medium, the basic medium used in this study, with or without NAA. Shoots that were grown on this medium were used for further vegetative propagation. Mature buds on the proximal part of the shoot were placed on the basic medium and good shoot growth resulted. Apical and young buds on the distal part of shoots were planted on the basic medium containing NAA and kinetin. Shoot and root growth resulted. Plantlets with shoots and roots were transplanted to the basic medium in 500 ml flasks and grew to transplantable size. A comparison of 1, 20 and 50 bud densities/50 ml of medium indicated that there was a growth-promoting diffusing-substance evident by the marked improvement of shoot and root growth at the highest bud density. It was determined that this growth promoting effect was not caused by NAA. Horizontal placing of shoot with bud upright on the medium was more effective for shoot and root growth than either shoots implanted with distal end up or with proximal end up.