Effect of Mulching Materials and Foliar Spray with Compost Tea on Growth ,Yield and Bulb Quality of Garlic Plants under Sandy Soil Conditions

Abstract

Garlic (Allium sativum, L.) is an important vegetable crop in Egypt. A current study was aimed to study the effect of hoeing (H), black plastic mulching (PM), rice straw mulching (SM), H + 10 % compost tea, PM + 10 % compost tea and SM + 10 % compost tea on growth, yield components as well as some chemical constituents of garlic plants under sandy soil conditions. Two field experiments were carried out during the two consecutive seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 at Experimental Farm of Horticulture at El-Kassasein Distract, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt . Plastic, straw and hoeing plus 10 % compost tea resulting in the highest plant height, leaf number per plant, bulb diameter and bulbing ratio .Fresh and dry weights of bulb as well as whole-plant increased by using plastic or straw mulches in combined with compost treatments with no significant difference between them. The highest average bulb weight significantly recorded with straw mulch and foliar spray with 10 % compost tea. Straw or plastic mulches plus compost significantly increased average clove weight and total bulb fresh yield per feddan and relative yield percentage. In most cases, total soluble solids as well as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium percentages in garlic blub significantly increased by using straw or plastic mulches + foliar spray with 10 % compost tea