EFFECT OF PLANT DENSITY ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF TWO GARLIC CULTIVARS UNDER SOHAG CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

Abstract

One field experiment was carried out during the two successive winter seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 at a Private Farm at Sohag Governorate, tostudythe effect of two cultivars (Balady and Sids 40) and three plant densities (one, two and three rows in ridge) on growth, yield and bulb quality of garlic, these treatments were arranged in a split plot design with three replicates, garlic cultivars were arranged in the main plot, while plant densities were arranged in the sub plot.

The obtained results could be summarized as follows: The interaction between Balady cultivar and planting in one row/ ridge   recorded the tallest plants in both seasons. The percentages of dry matter of both leaves/plant and bulb, both bulb diameter and weight as well as clove weight were the highest with the interaction between Sids 40 and planting in one row/ ridge in both seasons. While, the highest total fresh (15.96 and 14.03 ton/fed.)  and cured yield (10.02 and 8.80 ton/fed.)  were obtained with the interaction between Sids 40 cultivar and planting in three rows/ ridge in the 1^st and 2^nd seasons, respectively, this treatment recorded relative increases in total fresh yield /fed. were about 56.31 and 58.89 % and total cured yield /fed were about 40.33 and 43.08 % over the interaction between Balady cultivar and planting in one row/ ridge. in the 1^st and 2^nd seasons, respectively.

 Conclusively, under the conditions of this study, cultivated garlic cv Sids 40 in three rows / ridge for the best interaction treatment for increasing the productivity of garlic yield under Sohag climatic conditions.

       Key words: Garlic, plant density, plant growth, yield.

Introduction

   Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the most important and widely consumed bulbous spice crops belongs to the family Alliaceae. West Asia and Mediterranean region is considered to be the center of origin of garlic. It is cultivated throughout India for its bulb which forms an integral part of Indian culinary. The bulb can be consumed as spice or condiment in the form of garlic paste, pickle, chutney, curried vegetables, curry powders and meat preparation, etc. value added products of garlic are represented by garlic powder. It is the second most widely cultivated crop after onion (Hamma et al., 2013).

   There were a significant differences between  garlic  cultivars concerning plant growth, yield and its components as well as bulb quality  (Halim 2000, Azad 2002, Islam et al., 2004 , Rahman et al., 2005, Mohsen 2012, Youssef and Tony 2014 ,  Zaki et al.,  2014,  Hassan 2015 and  Hassan et al.  2016 and  Usman et al. (2016).

  They concluded that there were a different characters between the cultivars of garlic.

  For increasing garlic production there is a need to check the optimum density of garlic (Khodadadi and Nosrati, 2012). Planting density decrease competition for light, water and nutrient in plants. Without wastage optimum plant population ensures effective use of available cropland (Geremew et al., 2010). 

  Plant growth, yield and bulb quality had affected by plant densities  (Abubakar, 2001, Jamroz et al., (2001), Castellanos et al., 2004,  Singh and Singh 2004,  Dawar et al., 2005,  Sirohi 2005,  Adekpe et al., 2007, Gautam et al., 2007, Kilgori et al., 2007,  Rekowska and Skupien (2008) Fikreyohannes et al. 2008, El-Shal et al. 2011 and Nagina et al. 2017).

   Therefore, the aim of the present experiment was to determine the suitable plant density  and best cultivar of garlic for  increasing  productivity and  bulb quality of garlic  under Sohag climatic  conditions, Egypt .

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One field experiment was carried out during the two successive winter seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 at a Private Farm at Sohag Governorate, Egypt to studythe effect of  two cultivars (Balady and Sids 40)  and three plant densities (one, two and three rows in ridge) on  growth, yield and bulb quality of garlic. The  meteorological data  according to Sohag meteorological station  is listed  in Table A.

Table (A).  Average monthly temperature and relative humidity at Sohag during the tow studies seasons*:

(*) Source: Sohag meteorological station.

These treatments  were arranged in a split plot design  with three replicates,  garlic cultivars were arranged in the  main plot,  while  plant densities were arranged in the sub plot.

  The experimental area  was 10.5 m² (1/400 fed.)  it was consisted of 5 ridges, 60 cm width and 3.5 m length.

   Garlic cloves were selected for uniformity in shape and size and were planted of October 11^th and 15^th in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons, respectively. Cloves were planted with top of ridges at 10 cm apart.

   All experimental units were fertilized with 120,  60 and 48 kg/fed N, P and K  in the form of  ammonium nitrate (33.5%), super phosphate (15.5% P₂O₅) and potassium sulphate (48% K₂O), respectively. These fertilizers were added on three equal portions  at 30, 60 and 90 days after planting.

  The normal cultural practices have been followed according to the usual methods being adapted for garlic crop.

  A month before harvest, ten plants were randomly taken from each plot to determine plant height, number of leaves/plant, dry matter of leaves and bulb percentage its were determined by drying 100 g of grated leaves  tissues and bulbs at 105 ⁰C till constant weight, and then DM (%) was calculated.

  Garlic plants were harvested on April 3^rd and 4^th in the first and second seasons, respectively, and fresh yield per plot was recorded and converted to fresh yield (ton/fed.).

  Then, the harvested plants were left in the field to cured for 15 days in the two seasons, then the cured yield (ton/fed.) was determined. After that,  ten plants from each sub-plot were randomly taken to Bulb diameter with the help of Verniercalliper, bulb and clove  weights were measured with the help of electric balance.

Statistical analysis

Statistical analysis was conducted for all collected data. The analysis of variance was calculated according to Steel et al. (1997)andmeans separation were done according to LSDat 0.05 probability level.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. Effect of garlic cultivars

  Data in Table 1 indicated that, there were significant differences between the  two garlic cultivars regarding plant growth , yield and bulb quality in most cases  in both seasons.  Balady cultivar  gave  the tallest plants than Sids 40 in both seasons. While  Sids 40 gave the highest values of dry matter of leaves and bulb percentage,  total fresh  yield  and  weight of clove in both seasons, cured yield  and   bulb weight in the 1^st season only. On the other side, three were no significant differences between two

Table (1): Effect of garlic cultivars on plant growth, yield and bulb quality  during  2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons

cultivars  concerning  number of leaves / plant and  bulb diameter  in both seasons,  cured  yield and  bulb weight in the 2^nd season . 

  The relative  increases  in total  fresh yield /fed. were about 12.12 and 5.27 %  and  total  cured  yield /fed  were about 7.20 and 4.36 % for  Sids 40 cultivar  than Balady cultivar  in the 1^st and 2^nd seasons, respectively.

  The differences between garlic cultivars could be attributed to the genetic differences between cultivars .These results are in agreement with (Halim 2000, Azad 2002, Islam et al., 2004, Rahman et al., 2005, Mohsen 2012, Youssef and Tony 2014 ,  Zaki et al.,  2014,  Hassan 2015 and  Hassan et al.  2016 and  Usman et al., 2016). They concluded that there were a different characters between the cultivars of garlic.

2. Effect of plant density

   Data in Table (2) show that, plant growth, yield and bulb quality  of garlic  grown  under Sohag conditions had affected  by  plant density in both seasons.

    Planting of garlic  in one  row/ ridge  had significantly increased plant growth such as  plant height  the percentages of dry matter of both leaves and bulb, both bulb diameter and weight as well as clove weight than other densities (two or three rows/ ridge) in both seasons. While, garlic planting in three rows /ridge recorded the highest values of both total fresh and curd yield/fed. than other  densities in both seasons. Plant densities did not

Table (2): Effect of plant density on  plant growth, yield and  bulb quality  during  2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons

reflect any significant effect on number of leaves/ plant in both seasons.  On the other side, planting of garlic  in two rows/ ridge gave the intermediate  values  of plant growth, yield and bulb quality between  planting in one or three rows/ ridge in both seasons.

 The relative increases in total fresh yield /fed. were about 38.57 and 51.23 % and total cured yield /fed. were about 30.44 and 35.41 % for  planting  in three rows/ ridge than planting in one row/ ridge in the 1^st and 2^nd seasons, respectively.

 The reduction in growth characters of plants in the case of increased plant density may be due to increased competition among crop plants and the struggle in an enforced sharing of light, nutrients and water supplies as well as space of the surrounding media. (Ara et al., 2007). 

 Light is critical source of photosynthesis for plant growth, large spaced plant gets proper light intensity and nutrient as compare to the small spaced plant that’s why leaf area of wider spaced plant is more leaf length increase as we increase plant spacing, plants spread more and leaf area increases due to moisture availability, nutrients and additional light intensity all these lead to more increased in plant growth. More bulb diameter, weight and increased for weight of cloves obtained from wider spacing may be due to vigorous plant (Biru, 2015).

The productivity of unit area greatly influenced by the number of plants in units area. However, total yield is associated strongly by the number of growing plants in unit area, on the other side, the yield quality such as  bulb diameter and weight  response negatively (Rekowska and Skupien, 2008). These results are in agreement with the results of Rahman and Talukdar (2003), Castellanos et al. (2004), Singh and Singh (2004), Dawar et al. (2005), Sirohi (2005),  Adekpe et al., (2007),  Gautam et al. (2007), Kilgori et al, (2007), Rekowska and Skupien (2008) and  Fikreyohannes et al. (2008).

 3. Effect of the interaction between  cultivars and plant densities

  The interactions between garlic cultivars and  plant densities had significant  effect on plant growth , yield and bulb quality of  garlic under Sohag conditions in both seasons , except  number of leaves / plant in both seasons.

  The interaction between Balady cultivar and planting in one row/ ridge   recorded the tallest plants (95.2cm and 90.3cm) in the 1^st and 2^nd seasons respectively. The percentages of dry matter of  both leaves/plant  and bulb, both bulb diameter and weight as well as clove weight were the highest  with the  interaction between Sids 40 and planting in one  row/ ridge in both seasons. While the highest total fresh (15.96 and 14.03 ton/fed.)  and cured  yield ( 10.02 and 8.80 ton/fed.)  were obtained  with the interaction  between Sids 40 cultivar and planting in  three rows/ ridge in the 1^st and 2^nd seasons , respectively.

  The relative increases in total  fresh yield /fed. were about 56.31 and 58.89 %  and  total  cured  yield /fed  were about  40.33 and 43.08 % for   the interaction between  Sids 40 cultivar and planting  in three rows/ ridge than the interaction between Balady cultivar  and  planting in one row/ ridge   in the 1^st and 2^nd seasons, respectively.

        These results are in agreement with those reported with Alam et al. (2010) and Abdalla et al. (2011) found that there were significant differences with the interaction between  garlic cultivars and plant densities.

Table (3): Effect of the interaction between garlic cultivars and plant density on plant growth, yield and bulb quality during  2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons

   Conclusively, under the conditions of this study, cultivated  garlic cv sids 40 in three rows / ridge for the best interaction treatment  for  increasing  the productivity  of  garlic  yield  under Sohag climatic  conditions.