The Effect of Planting Date and Organic Fertilizers on Growth, Yield and Storability of Elephant Garlic ( Allium ampeloprosum L.)

Abstract

This experiment has been conducted at the Experimental Field /Department of Horticulture; College of Agriculture of Abu- Graib- Baghdad – Iraq during 2009-2010-Season A field study has been carried out to investigate the effect of planting date and organic fertilizers on growth, yield and storability of Elephant Garlic. Planting date treatments are 20/10, 4/11and 19/11/2009. Spray with organic fertilizers (K- Humate) using three concentration (0, 1. 5 and 3 ml. L-1), in a randomized complete block design with three replicates, the experimental results can be summarized as follow :The second planting date (effects significantly) increased plant height (41.12 cm), number of leaves (8.82 lefl. plant-1), leaf area (34.84 cm2) and number of cloves (4.27 cloves. head -1) and total yield (20.20 ton. h-1) . Plant height, number of leaves, leaf area number of cloves and total yield increased with increasing K- Humate application. Higher K- Humate rates improved 43.89 cm, 9.27 leaf plant-1, 35.97cm 2, 4.62 cloves. head-1 and 22.55 ton. ha-1. The interaction between planting date and organic fertilizers significantly has been increased in all parameters studied. The foliar sprays with k- Humate at the rat of k2 significantly reduces the percentage of weight- loss as compared with ko and the values were 29.49 % and 38.77% respectively while there no significant influences in the percentage of decay.The first planting date D1 significantly reduces the percentage of weight Loss to 30.18% as compared D3 and the percentage is 2.27% as compared with D2 , and the percentage, is 8.51%.