Asparagus plant-female plant No. 53 Inez

#This invention relates to a female asparagus plant which is one selected by us as a result of an intense and continuing program of development of asparagus, to improve resistance to disease and increase productivity.

#The instant plant which is denoted in our records as No. 53, is also identified as "Inez" and was selected from a field of Mary Washington which has been grown for more than thirty five years, it is undoubtedly basically of that background being an unpatented variety, though differing in many respects.

#We have asexually reproduced our variety "Inez" by crown division and also by tissue culture and find that it comes true in successive generations, with the characteristics of resistance to rust (Puccinia asparagi), tolerance to root rot (Fusarium oxysporum) and crown rot (F. moniliforme).

#In the accompanying drawing we have disclosed in FIG. 1 a typical stalk of our new variety with certain of the dimensions and other elements directly indicated in black and white.

#In FIG. 2, we have shown in color as nearly as possible representative of a typical plant, one of our new variety, with the color compared by us to the Munsell Limit Color Cascade and in our opinion as nearly accurate as can be reproduced in an illustration of this kind with notations referring thereto, the photo having been taken under normal daylight conditions in the field where grown.

#Data which we have accumulated in reference to the instant variety, is summarized in the following table, which sets forth some of the information which enables us to identify the same and compare it with other varieties as well as those with which it has been crossed to produce hybrids such as that known as "Jersey Centennial" the subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,998.

#______________________________________ ASPARAGUS PLANT DATA ASPARAGUS PLANT NO. 53 FEMALE "INEZ" ______________________________________ Stalk Data Number of nodes below first branch 26.3 Number of cm from crown to first branch 57.4 Number of branches 46 Number cm between first and last branch 142 Internode length in cm between branches 3.1 Number of cladophyll nodes beyond last branch 56.7 Number of cm beyond last branch 43.4 Internode length in cm beyond last branch 0.77 Largest stalk diameter in mm 21.4 Mean diameter of three largest stalks in mm 20.8 Number of stalks 26 Stalk vigor index (No. .times. (Mean diam.).sup.2) 11,249 Mature stalk color, bloom removed. 22-11.5 Color No. (1) Flow Data Petal tip (yellow) Color No. (1) 25-4 Petal base (green) Color No. (1) 21-9 Flower length in mm 4.9 Flower width at midpoint in mm 2.5 Fruit Data Weight of 100 fruit (g) 32.6 Water displacement of 100 fruit (ml) 34 Number of seed per 100 fruit 408 Weight of seed per 100 fruit (g) 8.5 Water displacement of seed of 100 fruit (ml) 10.0 Mature fruit 33- 12 Cladophyll Data Number per node 2.54 Length (mm) 10.74 Width (mm) 0.151 ______________________________________ (1) Color number, Munsell Limit Color Cascade, Munsell Color, Macbeth Color and Photometry Division, 2441 Calvert Street Baltimore, MD 21218

#The data disclose that the largest stalk is 21.4 mm in diameter and the mean diameter of the three largest stalks is 20.8 mm, the number of stalks averaging 26.