SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION OF NATURAL ORGANIC NUTRIENT TO PRODUCE SAFETY YIELD OF GARLIC (Allium sativum L.)

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted during the two successive winter seasons of 2012 / 2013 and 2013/ 2014 at Al-Bramoon experimental Farm, Hort. Res. Institute, El-Dakahlia Governorate to study the suitable time for soaking garlic cloves in compost tea before planting and the effect of foliar applications numbers with compost tea on garlic plants for one or twice or three times at 30, 60 and 90 days after planting and soil application with irrigation on garlic cv. (Sids 40). The used experimental design was split plot with three replicates. Soaking garlic cloves in compost tea before planting treatments represented the main plots for control, 12 and 24 hours, and the subplots were assigned to the foliar spraying by compost tea, once at 30 days after planting, twice times at 30 and 60 days after planting , three times at 30, 60 and 90 days after planting and soil application at rate of 200 L./fed with irrigation water. Results showed that soaking garlic cloves in compost tea before planting significantly increased the most of studied parameters, vegetative parameters i.e., plant height, neck and bulb diameters, leaves number/plant, fresh and dry weight/plant and concentration of chlorophyll in both seasons of study. This treatment also, significantly increased the total yield (tones/fed), fresh weight/bulb, clove weight and significantly decreased cloves number/bulb and significantly increased the concentration of chemical composition i.e., N%, P%, K%, and volatile oils% and significantly decreased the nitrate contents in garlic bulbs in both seasons. Foliar spraying by compost tea on garlic plants three times at 30, 60 and 90 days after planting significantly increased the most of studied parameters, vegetative parameters i.e., plant height, bulb diameter, fresh and dry weight/plant and concentration of chlorophyll in both seasons, yield parameters i.e., the total yield (tones/fed), fresh weight/bulb, clove weight and significantly decreased cloves number/bulb and significantly increased the concentration of chemical composition i.e., N%, P%, K%, and volatile oils% and significantly decreased the nitrate contents in garlic bulbs in both seasons. Regarding to the interaction soaking garlic cloves in compost tea before planting and foliar spraying by compost tea on garlic plants three times at 30, 60 and 90 days after planting significantly increased the most of studied parameters vegetative parameters i.e., plant height, bulb diameter, fresh and dry weight/plant and concentration of chlorophyll in both seasons, yield parameters i.e., the total yield (tones/fed), fresh weight/bulb, clove weight and significantly decreased cloves number/bulb and significantly increased the concentration of chemical composition i.e., N%, P%, K%, and volatile oils% and significantly decreased the nitrate contents in garlic bulbs in both seasons. Therefore, the treatment (soaking garlic cloves in compost tea for 24 hours and foliar spraying by compost tea on garlic plants three times at 30, 60 and 90 days after planting) could be recommended for raising garlic safety yield and improving bulb quality under similar conditions to this work