ONION BASIC
Introduction

Garlic is an important bulb crop grown and used throughout India primarily as a spice or condiment. Garlic has higher nutritive value than other bulb crops as it is rich in proteins, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and carbohydrates and hence also finds medicinal usage especially in treating intestinal diseases. India till recently was cultivating only smaller-clove types of garlic which found market in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Middle East. However, now bigger-clove types of garlic of 40-60 mm diameter containing 10 to 15 cloves are getting preference all over the world and India has also started cultivating the same. Experts feel that research efforts will now have to be concentrated on developing the big clove variety.

 
Area of Cultivation

Garlic is mainly grown in India in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Small quantities of very good quality garlic are also produced In Ooty and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu but almost the entire produce is consumed locally. Recently some farmers in Punjab and Haryana have also started cultivating garlic and the yield recorded in these states have been far higher than the yields in the traditional growing areas.

 
Season

Garlic is a frost-hardy plant requiring cool and moist period during growth an relatively dry period during bulb maturity. There are 2 types of varieties. One suitable for long-day conditions (around 30° N latitude) and the other for short-day conditions. In India mostly short-day types are grown. Garlic can be grown on a variety of soils, but thrives better on fertile, well-drained loamy soils.

 
Fertilizer And Nutrient Management

The garlic is propagated vegetatively by cloves. Bulbils produced in some varieties are also used as planting material. Tissue-culture technique has also been developed to produce healthy garlic plants. There are various methods of planting like dibbling, furrow planting and broadcasting which differ with area. The broadcasting method is used mostly in Gujarat while in Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh bulbils are first sown in nursery and then transplanted after 45 days in main field at a proper distance.

Experts point out increased yield of better quality is obtained by cloves of 8-10 mm diameter. It is recommended to carefully select bigger cloves from the outer side of the bulbs as long, and avoid long slender cloves present in the centre as such cloves give poorly developed bulb. In order to plant one hectare approximately 500 kg cloves of 8-10 mm diameter are required.

As a seed standard average diameter of each bulb shall not be less than 2.5 cm or weight not less than 25 g. It should be clean, healthy and firm and conform to the varietal characteristics. The bulbs not conforming to varietal characteristics should not exceed 0.1% and 0.2% (by number) for foundation and certified seeds respectively. Cut, bruised, cracked and immature bulbs should not exceed more than 2% (by weight). The isolation distance is kept 5 m to avoid mechanical mixtures. Insect pests and diseases are same as in onion.

 
Varieties

The manure and fertilizers requirements of garlic are 60-150 kg N, 50 kg P and 50-120 kg K/ha for different parts of the country. Besides, organic manure (farmyard manure) 50 tonnes/ha is also recommended.
According to the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, ICAR, Government of India, application of 50 kg N and 60 kg K2O/ha has been recommended for highest yield (8.8 tonnes/ha) and cost: benefit ratio (1:2:63) in garlic GG 2 at Junagarh in 1999-2000.

 
Harvesting And Curing

In general garlic needs irrigation at an interval of 8 days and of 10-15 days during maturation.

 
Storage

Weeds of garlic can be effectively controlled by giving Pendimethalin (Stomp) @ 3.5 litre/ha along with one hand-weeding at 45 days after planting.

 
Onion Trade

The garlic crop is ready for harvesting when tops turn yellowish or brownish and show signs of drying up and bend over. Depending on season and soil, the bulbs begin to mature in 4-5 months after planting.

The bulbs are cured in field for about a week after harvesting. In order to avoid damage from sun, the bulbs are covered along with the tops of each other. After this the bulbs are cured for another 7-8 days in shade either with tops or after cutting tops by leaving 2.5 cm. Curing in shade may be on a floor having ventilation from bottom or a wire racks. Grading is done according to size, colour and shape.