Morpho-physiological traits, quality and productivity of garlic under drought stress of different growth stages

Abstract

UE to the limited water supply and rising food demand, studying how applied irrigation rates affect crops at this critical time due to climate change is essential. Therefore, an experiment was carried out to examine the effect of different irrigation water rates, specifically 60, 80, 100, and 120 of the water requirements (WR), on the growth, bulb yield properties, and water status of garlic ( Allium sativum L.) clone Sids-40. The data was recorded after 80 - 140 days from planting, where polynomial regression analysis was estimated between the growth stages and growth parameters. Similarly, 100% of the WR considerably increases plant height, leaf number, leaf fresh weight, and growth attributes like absolute growth rate, specific leaf area, leaf area index, chlorophyll a, b, and total carotenoids contents. While the irrigation at a rate of 60% WR led to an intrinsic rise in leaf water saturation deficit, proline content, and ascorbic acid content. Bulb parameters such as weight, diameter, and number of cloves per bulb, besides yield quantity with bulb grade one G1 (above 5.5 cm), pyruvic acid as pungency, and dry matter contents were determined to be at their highest values with irrigation at 100% of the WR. A 60% of the WR water shortage represented the high yield reduction with grade 4 (less than 3.5 cm). Pearson's correlation revealed positive relationships between bulb yield, characteristics, and growth attributes. Hence, garlic plants respond to irrigation at 100% of the WR by improving their morpho-physiological, productivity and bulb quality.