Garlic Cultivation Quiz

Harvesting and Curing

• Harvesting at 100% neck fall and curing by windrow method are recommended.
• Curing in the field should be done until the foliage turns yellow.
• Artificial curing can be done by passing hot air at 27.35°C through the curing room, taking around 48 hours for complete curing at 60-75% humidity.

Storage

• Thoroughly cured garlic bulbs can be stored in well-ventilated rooms.
• Garlic with dried leaves can be stored by hanging in well-ventilated rooms, but this is not feasible on a commercial scale.
• Garlic can be stored at a wide range of temperatures, but controlled conditioned storage is not necessary.
• Cloves sprout quickly at 4.4°C and should be avoided, while storage at 0.5°C is satisfactory, but humidity should be monitored.
• Garlic stored at humidity above 70% at any temperature develops mold and starts rotting.
• Cold storage at 32-36°F and 60-70% relative humidity is possible.
• UV light treatment for 30 minutes reduces storage loss to 8% in cold stores for 150 days.

Yield and Disease

• Garlic yields 5-12 tons per hectare.
• Diseases and insects affecting garlic are similar to those affecting onions.

Planting Material and Time

• Single cloves are used as planting materials, and sometimes bulbils are also used.
• Planting times vary by region: Ashoj-Mangshir for Terai, Shrawan-Magha for Mid Hill, and Baishak-Jestha for High Hill.

Spacing, Seed Rate, and Fertilizer

• The recommended spacing is 15cm, and 25kg of cloves are required for 1 ropani of land.
• 1500 kg of well-rotten FYM or Compost should be applied at the time of soil preparation per ropani.
• Fertilizer requirements are: Nitrogen (12 kg/ropani), Phosphorus (12 kg/ropani), and Potassium (4 kg/ropani).

Irrigation

• First irrigation is given after sowing, and then the field is irrigated every 10-15 days until the season warms up.
• Frequent irrigation is required during the growing season, but should be given sparingly when the bulbs are matured.
• The last irrigation should be given 2-3 days before harvesting.

Intercultural Operation

• First interculture is given with hand or khurpi one month after sowing.
• Second weeding is given one month after the first weeding and hoeing.
• Hoeing around 2 ½ months from sowing helps in setting bigger and well-filled bulbs.

Management

• Sanitation of the field is essential.
• Chemical control can be done by dusting with sulphur powder at 22 kg per hectare.

Introduction

• Garlic belongs to the family Amarylidaceae.
• It is an important bulb crop used as a spice or condiment throughout Nepal.
• It is a rich source of protein, carbohydrate, vitamin A, and C.
• Pungency in garlic is due to the presence of allyl methyl sulfide.

Varieties

• Some popular varieties of garlic include Marpha local, Khumal Selection, Fawari, Rajli gaddi, G-41, and Selection-2.

Climate

• Garlic grows under a wide range of climatic conditions, but cannot stand extreme temperatures.
• It prefers a moderate temperature in summer and winter, with short days favorable for bulb formation.
• It can be grown well at elevations of 1000 to 1300 meters above sea level.
• Optimum temperature is 18-22°C.

Soil

• Garlic can be grown in various soils, but loamy soils are best.
• Soil should be well-drained, as badly drained soils can cause discoloration.
• Heavy clay soil is not preferred due to harvesting difficulties.
• pH requirement is 5-7.