All About Asparagus: A Spring Vegetable Used Worldwide - Research Paper

Introduction

Asparagus is a flowering crop species in the genus Asparagus whose undeveloped shoots are used as a spring vegetable that is consumed worldwide. The scientific name of Asparagus is Asparagus officinalis, which is classified in the lily (lilaceae) family under the Asparagoideae subfamily. Asparagus officinalis is one of the notable species in the family of 300 species, which is edible in many parts of the world. Two types of asparagus exist, which include white asparagus and green asparagus. The two types of asparagus are from the same plant but are classified according to the timing of their harvests (Rana & Kamboj, 2017). The white asparagus spears are harvested before they obtain sunlight. And on the other side, green Asparagus spears are harvested after they have received enough sunlight. Green asparagus is fresh and nutritious, while white asparagus brings less demand due to its nutrition value. Depending on the type of asparagus, consumers may decide to eat it cooked or raw and may be included in light dishes such as soups, salads, and stews, among others.

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Origin

The history of asparagus is traced as far as that of the leek and has been eaten for over 2000 years. The asparagus crop originated in the eastern Mediterranean countries, and traces of wild varieties had been found in Africa. Historians believe that it was also cultivated in Egypt, whereby it was used for medicinal reasons, and also it was offered up to gods in their rituals to please them. It is also believed that it was cultivated in gardens in ancient Rome in the first century AD (Harkess et al., 2017). Asparagus was gotten over during the Middle Ages, but Arabs continued cultivating it. Asparagus was photographed as a donation to an Egyptian frieze 3000 BC. It was also available in Syria and Spain in old times.

In the second century BC, Galen, an ancient, noted the benefits of asparagus. Asparagus was then planted by the French later in 1469. Asparagus was then noticed in England in1538 and 1542 in Germany. Asparagus was brought to America by the early colonialists who wanted the society to enjoy its nutritive value. It was only cultivated widely by agricultural farmers after 1850 when it became available in the United States to the New World around 1850 (Ku, 2018). The harvested asparagus was sold as fresh products in the United States market. Green asparagus was found in Europe and America and China in the present world.

Uses of Asparagus

Due to its unique flavor and its diuretic qualities, asparagus can be used as an appetite suppressant. Asparagus was regarded in ancient Greece to be a plant with holy and antidepressant values, and the Greeks were interested in its medicinal and pharmaceutical properties. Hippocrates, a former Greek scientist, used asparagus to treat constipation and bladder aches (Hamdi et al., 2018). Asparagus comprises asparagine, which entails of diuretic properties. The Romans, on their side, made use of asparagus's epicurean values. They ate asparagus accompanied with fish as the main dish.

Production of Asparagus

Planting

Asparagus as a crop can be produced on small-scale and also on a large scale. Asparagus is a plant with only one cotyledon. The asparagus is produced with male and female flowers, while the new hybrid all-man are produced with few to no female blossoms. It thrives in soils too salty to produce natural plants. Thus, historically a little salt was used to kill weeds in asparagus fields, which makes those soils useless in producing other crops. Asparagus can be commercially nurtured in a greenhouse eight to ten weeks before field transplant or planted as crowns aged 1 or 2 years (Hasan, 2016). Farmers typically plant between 12,000 to 14,000 seedlings per acre in rows, 12 inches from row plants to 5-6 feet from rows. Asparagus is usually planted in May so that large leaves (ferns) flourish before winter. These farmers with proper soil reports are recommended to use the N-P-K application rates, including 50-100-150 pounds per acre.

Harvesting

Asparagus spears can be sliced or ripped off by an asparagus knife. It is not advisable to harvest asparagus when it is greater than 12 inches long since it reduces its market value. The spears are harvested when they are 7 or 9 inches long and green in color. There is a need to include light when spears are protruding to avoid blanching of asparagus. Asparagus may be harvested for about seven days the first year after planting. Harvesting lasts about 14 days for the second year of harvest. The harvesting takes place for about three weeks in the third year (Ku, 2018). The fourth year of harvest takes 30 to 36 days, and the harvest time by year five is approximately six to seven weeks when the crops are fully mature. The temperatures should be maintained at 32 to 36 F with a relative humidity of 90 to 95% for about 7 to 14 days to attain a good quality.

Marketing

Traditionally, asparagus was sold in pyramid containers packed with bunks with a rubber band from 1.5 to 2.5 pounds. Asparagus farmers had several marketing options, including direct distribution, auction goods, cooperatives, local suppliers, roadside stalls, and pick-your-own enterprises. Production of less than one acre of many vegetable crops is typical for most farmers hence suitable for a small market (Schwarz, 2016). Asparagus, as an early period crop, profits retail marketer when mixed with other crops. Farmers negotiate with the suppliers to sell the asparagus and ship it for a fixed price in wholesale trading.

Marketing Alternatives

In general, marketing credit unions utilize cost and price collected daily to distributed price fluctuations across all involved producers. Local retailers take the time to notify managers to supply asparagus of high quality if stores need it. Retail marketing choices include roadside stands and pick-your-own activities to provide a seller with the opportunity to obtain higher prices than wholesale for his or her asparagus. Still, there may be some advertisement, maintenance expenses to be incurred in serving the customers (Schwarz, 2016). Farmers' markets are another retail option whereby asparagus can be sold.

Asparagus Nutritive Profile

The nutritional contents of asparagus vary accordingly, depending on its state. It can be canned, raw, semi-cooked, or stored. The following table shows the level of each nutrient in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) of raw asparagus in 1 cup of 134 grams (g). It also highlights nutrients for adults that are needed by US Dietary Guidelines 2015-2020.

Health Benefits

Asparagus has multiple nutritive benefits that have need used for various health purposes. Asparagus has been used to meet various nutrition requirements in people's diets. For instance, vitamin B-9 in asparagus supports fetal development, which leads to rapid growth. It also lowers the risk of depressions by regulating body hormones. Folate in asparagus manages the homocysteine levels, which reduces the risks of stroke (Hamdi et al., 2018). The fiber in asparagus maintains the cardiovascular health of people using it. Fiber present in asparagus may help to prevent colorectal cancer, according to ODS scientists. Dietary fibre and water in asparagus help in preventing constipation and maintaining a healthy digestive tract.

Sustainability Analysis

Asparagus consumed in America comes from South America derived from various farm stores. During the transportation process, pollution is caused due to the production of carbon (iv) oxide. Air freighting consumes fifty times the energy than shipping by sea hence reducing the levels of pollution generated during transportation of asparagus (Schwarz, 2016). Asparagus (8.87) produces six times the amount of GHG than the next than pork, chicken, eggs, and milk, which calls for the carbon footprint. Sustainability can be improved by selecting the best location for the production of asparagus. The asparagus should be cultivated on well-drained soils with excellent water retention and high humidity. The ground should not be compressed, and the pH will vary between 6.2 and 7.0 (Schwarz, 2016). Also, pests, weeds, and diseases should be minimized to reduce the chemicals that are likely to pollute soils. Proper diseases, weeds, and pest control will reduce pollution that is likely to be caused by the production of asparagus. There is a need to adopt new transport mechanisms such as trains, trucks, and boats that will lower carbon (iv) oxide emission.

Conclusion

Conclusively, asparagus being a flavorsome and nutritious type of vegetable, has a nutrition value that enriches people's diets. Asparagus was listed as one of the 15 types of goods with the minimum amounts of pesticides according to the 2019 evaluation of the Environmental Work Group. When bearing in mind the reported medical benefits of asparagus, researchers have concentrated on working with higher levels of nutrients in it than those found in other foods. It is beneficial to eat a stable, nourishing diet by adding asparagus to one's diet to boost its dietary value. Asparagus has been cultivated by many people worldwide and is available in any vegetable market.

References

Hamdi, A., Jimenez-Araujo, A., Rodriguez Arcos, R., Jaramillo Carmona, S., Lachaal, M., Bouraoui, N. K., & Guillen-Bejarano, R. (2018). Asparagus saponins: chemical characterization, bioavailability and intervention in human health. Nutrition and Food Science, 7.

Harkess, A., Zhou, J., Xu, C., Bowers, J. E., Van der Hulst, R., Ayyampalayam, S., ... & Tang, H. (2017). The asparagus genome sheds light on the origin and evolution of a young Y chromosome. Nature communications, 8(1), 1-10.

Hasan, N., Ahmad, N., Zohrameena, S., Khalid, M., & Akhtar, J. (2016). ASPARAGUS RACEMOSUS: FOR MEDICINAL USES & PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS. International Journal, 4(3), 259-267.

Ku, Y. G., Kang, D. H., Lee, C. K., Lee, S. Y., Ryu, C. S., Kim, D. E., ... & Gorinstein, S. (2018). Influence of different cultivation systems on bioactivity of asparagus. Food chemistry, 244, 349-358.

Rana, M. K., & Kamboj, S. (2017). Asparagus. In Vegetable Crop Science (pp. 17-22). CRC Press.

Schwarz, J., Schuster, M., Annaert, B., Maertens, M., & Mathijs, E. (2016). Sustainability of global and local food value chains: An empirical comparison of peruvian and belgian asparagus. Sustainability, 8(4), 344.