Evaluation of Different Mulching Practices on Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Growth Parameters under Irrigated Condition in Fiche, North Shoa Ethiopia

Abstract

An experiment to assess the effect of mulch on growth (days to maturity, plant height, leaf length and leaf number) of Garlic (Allium Sativum L.) were conducted in 2015/16 at Addis Ababa University Selale campus, on demonstration field, with the objective of; to identify optimum plant growth using different mulches for Garlic tested independently. The experiment was conducted using randomized complete block design with three replicates. The area occupied by a single plot was 1.5*2 m² and with a spacing of 1 m and 0.5 m between blocks and plots, respectively. There were nine treatments. The spacing between plants was 10 cm and between rows was 30 cm. The analyzed result using ANOVA shows significance difference among the treatments. Plots treated with black polyethylene mulch and grass mulch enhanced maturity by about 114.6 and 116.73 days, respectively, while garlic treated with no mulch showed slightly delayed maturity of 125.36 days.  Maximum plant height (66.52 cm) was recorded in the plants mulched by black polyethylene mulch followed by grass mulch which records 62.37 cm and 52.36 cm, respectively. A highly significant variation (p<0.05) in the leaf length was observed at the different mulch treatments. Significantly maximum leaf number (15.36) was recorded in plants mulched with black polyethylene followed by grass mulch with 14.06 leaf number. Thus, black polyethylene and grass mulch performs better than the bare land in growth parameters evaluation of garlic crop under fiche condition.

Keywords: Black polyethylene, Mulches, Allium Sativum, Growth, Grass