Effect of Different Irrigation Levels and Methods of Humic Acid Addition on Growth, Yield and Storability of Garlic

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to study the effect of different levels of irrigation at 40%, 60% and 80% of available soil moisture depletion (ASMD) and humic acid application methods (without, soil application, foliar application and soil application + foliar) on growth, productivity and storability of garlic cv. Sids-40. Results indicated that highest values of irrigation water applied (IWA),were found to be 3359 and 3162 m3/fed due to 40% ASMD comparison with other two irrigation treatments in both seasons respectively. Also, results reveal that 80% ASMD irrigation treatments could save about 31.0% and 29.8% of the applied water, compared with 40% ASMD in both seasons respectively. Furthermore, the irrigation after depletion of 40%, 60% ASMD with applying soil conditioner and foliar application of humic acid increased the plant length, leaves number, neck diameter, bulb diameter, bulb fresh weight, fresh and dray weight of plant as well as the yield of bulbs, cloves fresh weight/bulb, cloves number/bulb, bulb diameter, neck diameter, average clove weight, nitrogen, phosphors, potassium and carbohydrates content. While, the proline and total pungency of garlic increased significantly and the percentage of weight loss (%) after two, four and seven months of the storage as a result of irrigation decreased after 80% ASMD with soil application plus spraying with humic acid. Also, average water utilization efficiency, increased by using 60% ASMD with soil and foliar application of humic acid (HS+ HF) followed by 80% ASMD with HS+ HF then 40% ASMD treatments with HS+ HF in both seasons.