The effect of mulching materials on garlic / Teodoro Q. Cruzate, Jr.

BS Agriculture

Includes bibliographical references.

The study on the "Effect of Different Mulching Materials on the Growth and Yield of Garlic" was conducted at the agronomy experimental field of the Don Severino Agricultural College, Indang, Cavite, from November 1976 to February 1977. The purpose of the study was to know the mulching materials that will favorably produce big cloves of garlic and to determine the best materials that would effectively check the growth of weeds and evaporation of moisture in the soil, under the Don Severino Agricultural College condition An area of 300 square meters Was divided into four equal blocks and further sub-divided into 25 plots, There were four treatments and a control with four replication each. These were distributed at random on the different plots as shown in the field layout (figure 1) Fertilizers were broadcast and mixed thoroughly with the soil before planting the bulbils, Three shallow furrows were made on every plot, 20 centimeters apart with the tip slightly exposed to four inches thick mulch of rice straw, rice hull, dried banana leaves and dried coconut leaves. which were spread over the newly planted beds to serve as different mulching materialse

The first weeding was done two weeks after planting. This was followed by another weeding a week after. The final weeding was done 25 days after planting.

There was no sign of disease affecting the crops, however, there were fow insect pests like worms and thrips that damaged few plants but were easily controlled by spraying malathion, folidol and sevine. Germination took place after the 5th day of planting.

The growth of the plants for the first three weeks in all treatments were vigorous and uniform except in the control, wherein most of the leaves were slightly yellowish and the plants were stunted in growth. When the plants reached the maturity stage, plots mulched with rice hulls produced the most vigorous plan characterized by dark green leaves and stout stories. They were the tallest among all the treated plants in the experiment.

The plots mulched with rice hull matured the earliest, as shown by the early drying of most of the leaves and lodging of the stem on the ground. The plants in the control plots matured the laste The leaves did not lodge at all on the ground although most of them were already drying uponThe crops were harvested 110 days from the time of plantinge At this period, most of the leaves were already dry.

Treatment 2 gave the highest yield of 2.23 kilograms per plot or 4,460 kilograms to a hectare, The control gave the lowest average yield with only 1.13 kilograms or 2,260 kilograms per hectare,
The average yield produced from treatment 2 was about tS The maximum yield two times higher than the controlled plots. of garlic crops was attributed to the good effects of rice hull as mulch which promotes the retention of soil moisture, keep temperature down with less fluctuations, down weeds and keep soil less fluctuations.

Submitted to the University Library 05/04/2007 SP-93