5th International Asparagus Cultivar Trial (IACT V)

16th International Asparagus Symposium Concludes Successfully in Iksan, Korea

IKSAN, Korea — June 24, 2026 —The 16th International Asparagus Symposium (IAS2026) was successfully held from June 22 to 24 at Wonkwang University in Iksan, Republic of Korea. Organized under the auspices of the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), this quadrennial event is widely regarded as the premier global gathering for asparagus research and industry.

The three-day symposium brought together around 70 researchers and industry representatives from more than 15 countries, who exchanged the latest advances across a broad range of topics, including asparagus genetics and breeding, agronomy and production systems, physiology and biochemistry, plant pathology and pest management, as well as nutrition and health, postharvest handling, and marketing. Both oral and poster sessions featured outstanding presentations, and the keynote lectures stimulated lively discussion among participants.

A highlight of the symposium was the global launch of Asparagus: A New Chapter in the Industry of Medicine and Edible Sources, written in both Chinese and English and the world's first authoritative monograph on asparagus as a medicine-food homology resource, authored by Dr. Guangyu Chen of the Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China. Trilingual introductions in Chinese, English and Korean were released, and Dr. Chen presented signed copies to international experts at the event. In addition, Dr. Chen officially launched the 5th International Asparagus Cultivar Trial (IACT).

Beyond the scientific sessions, delegates enjoyed technical tours to commercial asparagus farms in Yanggu, Yeoju, Icheon, Hongseong, and Jeollanam‑do, as well as visits to the Chuncheon Agricultural Research and Extension Services Center, Hoban Nursery, the Smart Farm Innovation Valley, and Wonkwang University’s asparagus greenhouse and botanical garden.

The 17th International Asparagus Symposium will be hosted in 2030 by Michigan State University, USA.