Garlic (Allium sativum); Alliaceae
Varieties – Ooty -2, Bhima Purple, Kodaikanal local
Soil – Well drained friable soil rich in organic matter with a pH range of 6 – 7 is ideal. Extreme acidic soils as well as heavy soils are not suited
Climate – Garlic can be grown at an elevation of 1200 – 2600 m from the Mean Sea Level (MSL). It requires short days, cool (12–18 °C) moist period during vegetative growth and bulb formation phase
Season
Irrigated: March-April and Oct – Nov
Rainfed: June – July
Seed rate – Garlic cloves – 1500 – 1600 kg/ha
Seed treatment – Garlic cloves are to be treated with Pseudomonas and Trichoderma @2 kg/ha
Spacing – Cloves are planted at 15 x 10 cm spacing
Application of Manures
Growing Lupin as green manure to get the biomass of 6-7 tonnes /ha and ploughing in situ on 45-50 DAS.
Basal application of 25 t of FYM and 2 kg each of Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria and top dressing of vermicompost @ 2 t/ha in 2 equal splits at 15 days interval (15 days after planting and 30 days after planting).
Foliar Nutrition – Spray 3% Panchagavya twice at 30 and 45 days after planting
Weeding – Weeding should be done on 30th and 60th days after planting
Plant Protection
Thrips – Thrips can be controlled by spraying of NSKE@5.0 ml/Lit or 1% soap solution or fish oil rosin soap @25 g/lit.
Nematode
- Soil application of neem cake @ 1 ton/ha at the time of sowing.
- Biofumigation of mustard plants followed by application of neemcake @ 250kg/ha along with Purpureocillium lilacinum @ 5kg/ha
- Application of P. lilacinum as seed treatment @ 20g/kg of seed followed by soil application @ 2.5kg/ha along with FYM @ 2.5 t/ha.
Diseases
Purple blotch – Spray Pseudomonas fluorescens@ 0.5% three times at 15 days interval to control
Clove rot
- Bulb treatment with P. fluorescens @ 20 g/kg of bulbs
- Soil application @ 2.5 kg P. fluorescens/ha at the time of planting and 45 days after planting.
- Provide adequate drainage facilities
- Select healthy and disease – free seed bulbs
- In the field, drench the beds with 1% Bordeaux mixture
Harvest – Turning of tops to yellowish or brownish colour and commencement of drying is the ideal harvest index for harvesting garlic.
Yield – 16-17 t/ha