Improving yield and quality of garlic (Allium sativum L.) under water stress conditions

Abstract

A two years field study was executed during the two growing seasons of 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 at the experimental farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Qalubia governorate, Egypt, to study the influence of foliar spraying with Se and Si solutions on growth and yield of two different garlic cultivars under water stress conditions. The experiment was laid out in split-split-plot design with three replications. The main plots were assigned to the irrigation treatments (60, 80 and 100% of irrigation requirements, IR) and the subplots were assigned to the garlic cultivars (Allium sativum L.) Balady and Sids-40, while the sub-subplots were assigned to the spraying treatments (potassium silicate at 1.5 mM and sodium selenite at 0.03 mM). Obtained results showed that the studied parameters of growth and yield of garlic were significantly increased with increasing irrigation water level up to full requirements. The Balady cultivar showed significant improvement in all the studied parameters as compared to Sids-40. Foliar spraying with Se followed by Si showed better influence on the studied parameters, compared to check treatment. Regarding the interaction between irrigation water levels and cultivars, the treatment of full irrigation level with Balady cultivar showed significant increase of the studied parameters, followed by 80% irrigation level with Balady cultivar. Also, irrigation levels with foliar treatments showed in general that the treatment of full irrigation level with Se enhanced the growth and yield parameters of garlic, followed by the treatment of full irrigation with Si and 80% irrigation level with Se. As for the interaction between cultivars and foliar treatments, Balady cultivar with Se gave the highest values, followed by the same cultivar with Si, compared to the other treatments. Concerning the interaction among all treatments, the treatment of full irrigation with Balady cultivar and spraying with Se was superior in giving high values of the studied parameters, followed by spraying with Si with the same other treatments, and the treatment of 80% irrigation level with Balady cultivar and spraying Se came in the third order. The foliar spray with Se followed by Si enhanced all vegetative growth, yield and quality parameters of garlic under water stress conditions as well as increasing the water use efficiency.