Botanical Name Family Chromosome number Origin Allium sativum

Botanical Name: Family: Chromosome number Origin : • • Allium sativum L. Amaryllidaceae 2 n=16 Central Asia & Southern Europe Garlic is the most important and widely grown vegetables in low, mid and high hills and farmers get high remuneration by selling the quality bulbs. Pungency in garlic is due to the compound diallyl-disulphide

Uses Ø The mature bulbs are used as condiment in preparation of sauces, soups and seasoning of food on accounts of its special characteristic fragrance and pungency. Ø Rich source of carbohydrates, protein and phosphorus. Ø Reduces the cholesterol concentration in human blood. Ø Inhalation of garlic oil or garlic juice in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, rheumatism, sterility, impotency, cough and red eyes. Ø It carries fungicidal, bactericidal and insecticidal action. Ø In Unani and Ayurvedic system of medicine, garlic is carminative and is gastric stimulant and thus aids in digestion and absorption of food.

Soil and Climate • • Soil should be fertile, friable and well drained preferably loamy soils Heavy soil is not desirable that bakes and crusts after irrigation. The soil p. H should be in the range of 6 -7. It is sensitive to high acidity and alkalinity. It is a winter season crop requiring cool and moist atmosphere (12 -18 o. C) during growth and relatively dry weather (20 -25 o. C) during bulbing and 25 -30 o. C at bulb maturity. It is a frost hardy plant Low temperature and short days are congenial for proper bulb formation and hence the pre-requisites for higher yield. Adequate vegetative growth promotes bulb formation

Cultivars suitable for growing in Himachal Pradesh • • • GHC-1 Solan Selection Large Segmented Selection 1 Agrifound Parvati CITH-Garlic-1

Planting Time Region Sowing time North India September- November Maharashtra, August-November Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh Himachal Pradesh WB, Orrisa, Gujarat October-November Region Low Hills Mid Hills High Hills Sowing time October- November September- October April

Planting Material • • • Vegetatively propagated by cloves Cloves are small bulblets making whole of the garlic bulb Bulbils produced in some varieties are also used as planting material Bulbil is not a true seed but a vegetative propagule from flowers Healthy cloves should be selected and 500 -700 kg/ha of bulbs are required. Bulbs are separated into single segment (cloves) at the time of planting. Spacing 15 -20 cm between rows and 8 -10 cm between plants to plant and sowing depth of 2 -4 cm.

Soil Preparation and Planting • Garlic should be planted in well pulverized field by ploughing first with soil turning plough and afterwards with 4 to 5 ploughings with country plough. • Ploughing should be followed by leveling. • Garlic is normally sown in flat beds. Planting methods 1. Dibbling: Cloves are dibbled 5 -7. 5 cm deep keeping their growing ends upwards. 2. Furrow planting: Cloves are dropped in the furrows by hand covered lightly by loose soil.

Manures and Fertilizers Farmyard manure q/ha) 250 N P 2 O 5 K 2 O (Kg/ha) 120 75 60 Ø Full dose of farmyard manure and phosphorus, potassium and one-third of N should be applied at the time of sowing. Ø Remaining part of N should be top dressed in two equal halves at 30 days and 50 days after sowing.

Weed control • Garlic is a closely planted and a medium rooted crop and • • • hence hand weeding is difficult which may damage the crop. Therefore, use of chemical weedicides along with one hand weeding at critical growth stage is beneficial. The critical period of crop-weed competition is between 4 -8 weeks. Application of Alachlor (Lasso) @ 2 litres/ha or Pendimethalin (Stomp) @ 3 litres/ha in 750 liters of water before sowing is beneficial for controlling weeds. Irrigation • In general, irrigation at an interval of 8 -10 days during • vegetative growth and 10 -15 days during bulb formation and development. Critical stages are bulb formation and bulb enlargement.

Harvesting and yield Ø Crop is ready for harvesting when the tops turn yellow or brownish and shows signs of drying up and begins to fall over. Ø Bulbs mature in about 5 -6 months. Ø Bulbs are taken out along with tops manually. Yield: 100 -150 q/ha

Curing Ø Curing or drying of bulbs is an important process to remove the excess moisture and to allow the bulbs to become compact. Ø This helps in reducing the infection of diseases and minimizes shrinkage due to removal/drying of moisture from inside. Ø Bulbs are cured for about 1 week in field. Ø The bulbs are covered along with the tops of each other to avoid damage from the sun. Ø Then these bulbs are cured for 7 -8 days in shade either with the tops or after cutting tops leaving 2. 5 cm of the stalk. Ø Root are also trimmed leaving only 1 cm.

Storage Ø Thoroughly cured bulbs keep fairly well in ordinary ventilated room. Ø Cold storage at 0 -2. 2 o. C and 60 -70% RH is congenial. Ø The storage life is prolonged and loss in weight is reduced by spraying maleic hydrazide @ 2000 -3000 ppm, 2 -3 weeks before harvesting. Diseases and Insect pests § Diseases: Purple blotch and Downy mildew § Insect pests: Mites, Aphids and Thrips