Response of Local Garlic to Potassium and Sulfur Fertilization Method

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station of the College of Agriculture, University of Anbar, for the agricultural season 2021- 2022. This experiment aimed to study the effect of potassium and sulfur application on local garlic's growth, yield, and quality. The experiment included four levels of potassium soil fertilization (0, 200, 250, and 300 kg.ha-1 ), three levels of foliar spraying of potassium (0, 5, and 10 g.L-1 ), and three levels of soil fertilization of sulfur (0, 40, and 50 kg.ha-1 ). The study used the randomized complete block design (RCBD) in combinations. The results showed significant differences in the characteristics of vegetative growth, yield characteristics, and qualitative characteristics. The combination (300 kg K2O.ha-1 +10 g.L-1 + 50 kg S.ha-1 ) significantly exceeded by giving the highest leaves number, leaves area and shoot dry weight, which amounted to 11.42 leaf.plant-1 and 795.00 cm2 .plant-1 and 10.87 g.plant-1 , respectively. In comparison, the control treatment gave (8.80 leaves.plant-1 and 571.00 cm2 .plant-1 and 8.17 g.plant-1 ), for the same above traits, respectively. The same combination achieved a significant increase in yield traits (cloves number, clove weight, yield/plant, and total yield) with 37.58 cloves, 2.71 g, 102.03 g, and 51.01 t.ha-1 , respectively, compared to the control treatment, which gave (32.00 cloves, 1.81 g, 58.17 g, and 29.08 t.ha-1 ). The same treatment led to an increase in the percentage of potassium and sulfur in the bulbs, which recorded the highest percentage of 1.67% and 0.60%, respectively, compared to the control treatment, which recorded the lowest percentage of 1.36% and 0.40%, respectively. Keywords: Garlic, Fertilization, Potassium, Sulfur, Growth, Yield.