Garlic a popular bulb crop cultivated throughout Asia. It is used as spice in many dishes. Also it possesses excellent medicinal properties. It is a rich source of Vitamin A, C, Protein, Phosphorus, and Potassium etc. It helps in digestion; also it reduces cholesterol in human blood. Major Garlic producing states are Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana.

It can be cultivated on various type of soil. It gives best result when grown in sandy loam and silt loam soils rich in organic matter. Loose and sandy soils are not suitable for cultivation as bulb produce in such soil are deformed with less keeping quality. pH of soil should be 6 to 7. 

Yamuna Safed (G-1): Bulbs are compact with silvery white appearance. Cloves are of sickle shape with 25-30 cloves per bulb.

Yamuna Safed 3 (G 282): Bulbs are creamy white and bigger in size. 15-16 numbers of cloves are per bulb.

Agrifound white: Developed by NHRDF. The cloves are purple in color. The variety matures in 160-175 days. It gives an average yield of 54-58qtl/acre.

Other state varieties:

Large Segmented: 2-5 cloves in each bulb, less aromatic and high yielding variety. It gives an average yield of 80-105qtl/acre.

Solan Selection: Small cloves and 12-15 cloves in each bulb. It gives an average yield of 62.5-80qtl/acre.

Selection-1: Medium white color cloves, same size and is more attractive than other varieties. It is suitable for sowing in low and intermediate hilly areas. It gives an average yield of 80-105qtl/acre.

G.H.C-1: It gives more yield than other varieties and is aromatic. It has large size cloves which are easy to peel. It gives an average yield of 84-105qtl/acre.

Bhima Omkar: Ready to harvest in 120-135 days. It produces medium size white color bulbs. Gives average yield of 32-56qtl/acre.

Yamuna Safed 2(G-50): Bulbs are compact with attractive white creamy flesh contain 35-40 cloves per bulb.

G 40: Cloves are of fresh white color and gives average yield of 50-60qtl/acre.

Yamuna Safed 4 (G 323): Bulbs are silvery white and contain number of cloves 20-25 per bulb.

Yamuna Safed 5 (G -189): Ready to harvest in 150-160days and gives average yield of 50-60qtl/acre.

Bhima Purple: Ready to harvest in 120-135 days. Bulbs are having attractive purple color. Gives average yield of 24-28qtl/acre.

VL Garlic 1: Bulbs are of whitish color. It is ready to harvest in 180-190 days. Gives average yield of 56-60qtl/acre in hills and 36-40qtl/acre in plains.
 

Give three to four deep ploughing and bring soil to fine tilth. Add well decomposed cow dung to increase organic content of soil. Then levelled soil and divide into small plots and channels.

Time of sowing
For plain areas, sowing is done in end-September to start-October and for high land areas, sowing is done in March-April month.

Spacing
For sowing, use line to line spacing of 15cm and seed to seed spacing of 18cm. 
 
Sowing Depth
Sow garlic cloves at depth of 2.0-2.5cm keeping their growing heads upward.

Method of sowing
For sowing of garlic, use dibbling or drilling method.
 

Seed Rate
For sowing in one acre land, use 145-208kg of cloves.

Seed Treatment
Seed treatment with Thiram@2gm/kg of seed + Benomyl 50WP@1gm/liter water effectively controls damping off and smut diseases. After chemical treatment, seed treatment with bio agent Trichoderma viride@2gm/kg of seed is recommended; it helps in reducing early seedling diseases and soil borne inoculum.
 

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Apply two tonnes of Farm Yard Manure or well decomposed cow dung 10 days before sowing. Apply Nitrogen@9 kg, Phophorus@3 kg in form of Urea@20 kg and Single Super Phosphate@20 kg per acre. Apply whole quantity of SSP before sowing and nitrogen should be applied in three equal splits. Apply Urea 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing.

WSF: 10-15 days after transplanting, spray 19:19:19 along with micronutrient@2.5 to 3 gm/Ltr of water.

 

Depending upon climatic conditions and soil type decide irrigation amount and frequency. Apply first irrigation immediately after sowing. At vegetative stage, apply irrigation at interval of seven to eight days where as at stage of reproductive apply irrigation at interval of 10-15days. Tuber formation is very crucial stage for irrigation. When crop get mature, stop irrigation completely.

Initially garlic seedlings grow slowly. So better to use chemical herbicides than hand weeding to avoid injury. To control weeds take Pre-emergence spray of Pendimethalin@900ml/acre or Oxyflorfen@425 ml/acre within 72 hours of sowing. Two to three weeding are recommended for weed control. First hand weeding should be done one month after sowing and second hand weeding is to be done one month after first hand weeding.

Thrips: If it is not controlled properly, can cause yield loss up to 50%. Mostly observed in dry weather. They suck sap from the foliage and results in curling of leaves, leaves become cup shaped or curved upward.

To check severity of thrips incidence, keep blue sticky traps @6-8 per acre. If infestation observed in field take spray of Fipronil@30 ml/15 Ltr water or Profenophos@10 ml or Carbosulfan@10 ml+ Mancozeb@25 gm/10 Ltr water by 8-10 days interval.

Maggots: Infestation observed in January-February Month. They feed on roots cause browning of leaves. Base of plant become watery.

If infestation is observed, apply Carbaryl@4 kg or Phorate@4 kg to the soil and give light irrigation. Apply Chlorpyriphos @1 Ltr/acre alongwith irrigation water or sand.

• Disease and their control:
  

Purple blotch and stem phylium blight: In severe infestation may cause yield loss up to 70%. Deep purple lesions are observed on leaves. Yellow streaks get turn brown and extend along the blade.

Take spray of Propineb70%WP@350 gm/acre/150 ltr of water,Twice at 10 days interval.

Depending upon variety, crop becomes ready to harvest in 135-150 days after sowing. Optimum time for harvesting is when 50% leaves start yellowing and drying. Stop irrigation at least 15 days before harvesting. Plants are pulling out or uprooted, then tied into small bundle and kept in field or shade for 2-3 days. After proper drying, dry stalks are removed and bulbs are cleaned.

After harvesting and proper drying, bulbs are sorted and graded according to size. Garlic should be store at dark, well ventilated, clean and dry place. In cold storage, garlic can be store for 3-4 month at temperature of 0-2°C and 65-70% relative humidity.