Effect of saline water and nitrogen fertigation on some physiological traits of garlic (Allium sativum L.)

Abstract

The study was undertaken to investigate the influence of saline irrigation and nitrogen fertigation on the growth, yield, and quality of garlic variety HG-17 at the Research Farm of the Soil Science, Department, CCSHAU, Hisar during the Rabi seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23. The experimental design was structured as a split-plot with three replications. The treatments encompassed three levels of saline water (canal water, ECiw=2.5 dS/m, and ECiw=5.0 dS/m) serving as the primary treatments, alongside three nitrogen fertilizer levels (75%, 100% and 125% RDN) as the sub-main treatments. The results showed that the plant height at 30 days after planting (DAP), plant height at 60 days after planting (DAP) and all the physiological traits in leaves viz., dry matter content, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll Index and nitrogen balance index were recorded significantly maximum under irrigation with canal water as compared to saline water levels. Among nitrogen levels, the growth and physiological traits increased with increasing nitrogen levels and recorded maximum with 125% RDN applied through drip as compared to lower levels (75% and 100% RDN) of nitrogen during both the years of study, as well as pooled data of two years.