The relevance of the study is conditioned by the growing demand for asparagus and the need to increase the efficiency of its cultivation in Ukraine, considering the biological characteristics of the crop and economic factors of production. The purpose of the study was to theoretically substantiate the influence of the duration of harvesting asparagus shoots on the development of yield, biometric and qualitative indicators of products, and the durability of plantings. The paper used methods of analysis, generalisation, and systematisation of the results of contemporary national and international scientific research focused on the physiology of asparagus plant growth, cultivation practices, and the regulation of assimilatory apparatus recovery processes in asparagus plants. The relationship between the duration of the shoot harvesting period and plant productivity, and the processes of accumulation of reserve nutrients in rhizomes, was investigated. It was found that prolonged harvesting causes depletion of plants and reduces their ability to restore the assimilation apparatus after harvesting. It has been established that extending the harvesting period excessively leads to a reduction in shoot diameter, a decline in their marketability, and a deterioration in the quality characteristics of the produce. It was determined that the optimally limited duration of harvesting contributes to stable crop development and ensures high shoot quality indicators. The physiological and economic aspects of the use of plantings were analysed and it was found that the effective operation of plantations is limited to 8-10 years due to morphophysiological ageing of the root system and violation of carbohydrate metabolism. It was generally accepted that regulation of the duration of harvesting is a key element of asparagus cultivation technology. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the results obtained by agricultural producers, farms, and scientific institutions to optimise asparagus cultivation technologies in Ukraine
Asparagus officinalis; shoots; carbohydrates; plant productivity; biometric indicators; product quality