THE INFLUENCE OF PLANTING MATERIAL AND MULCH ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF GARLIC CROP

Abstract

A field experiment on garlic (Allium sativum L.) was conducted in 2023–2024 in Kaunas district municipality, Domeikava eldership, Domeikava village, on a private farm. The aim was to evaluate the productivity of organically grown garlic under different seed preparation methods and mulching treatments. The selected garlic variety for the study was the winter form of ‘Žeimiai’. A two-factor experiment was set up: Factor A – applied organic mulches: non-mulched (NE); grass (ŽO); peat (DU); hay (ŠN). Factor B – seed preparation methods: untreated (BE); treated with potassium permanganate solution (KMnO₄). Mulching can improve not only yield but also its qualitative parameters. Grass and peat mulches increased the clove mass of garlic when untreated planting material was used, whereas mulching with hay significantly reduced the clove mass by 15.1%. When the seed material was treated with KMnO₄ solution, all mulches increased bulb mass; however, the differences were not significant compared to the non-mulched crop. The seed treatment method significantly increased garlic clove mass only when the crop was mulched with hay. The proportion of the highest quality (<45 mm) garlic clove increased by an average of 14% in mulched crops, and by up to 22% when grass mulch was used. KMnO₄ treatment generally reduced the proportion of the highest quality garlic by an average of 7%, except when mulched with hay, where seed treatment with KMnO₄ solution improved garlic quality parameters by 45.3%. However, KMnO₄ treatment had a negative effect on the number of slices in a garlic clove.