Garlic is an essential crop that is used across the globe for medicinal, culinary, and health purposes. However, it is one of the crops that are highly susceptible to fungal attack, which can significantly reduce the quality of the yield. Fungal attack on garlic can lead to stunted growth, reduction of bulb size, and even crop failure. Therefore, farmers must take adequate control measures to prevent fungal attacks and ensure a healthy and profitable garlic crop.
Here are different control measures for fungal attack in garlic crop:
1. Clean field preparation – Before planting garlic; farmers should ensure they prepare the field adequately. This means removing all plant debris from the previous crop and ensuring the field is fresh without any fungal spores. Farmers should avoid planting garlic in areas where garlic or other onion family crops have been cultivated before to prevent any fungal residue. This will eliminate any chances of fungal spores that may exist in the soil.
2. The use of certified seed – To avoid the spread of fungal spores through the introduction of infected seeds, farmers must only use high-quality certified seeds. Using clean seeds ensures that the garlic crop does not get infected while still germinating.
3. Crop Rotation – Farmers should practice crop rotation to prevent the growth of fungal spores and reduce the chances of a garlic fungal attack. This means planting garlic after a different crop and not planting it in the same field for consecutive years.
4. Fungicides – Farmers can use fungicides to control the fungus attacking the garlic crop. Using non-toxic organic fungicides is recommended to ensure no harm to the vegetables and fruits that may be around the garlic crop.
5. Timely Harvesting – Garlic should be harvested at the right time to prevent fungal infection caused by damp soils. Farmers should only harvest garlic when the ground starts to dry up.
6. Proper crop storing – After harvesting garlic, it should be stored in the right conditions. Garlic must be dried then stored in well-ventilated and dry places to prevent over-humidification of the crop, which leads to fungal attacks.
7. Humidity control- Proper humidity control plays a vital role in the control of fungal attacks in garlic crops. Farmers should use dehumidifiers to maintain optimum humidity levels in the storage area.
In conclusion, fungal attacks on garlic can be detrimental to the quality of the yield, which can lead to substantial losses. Therefore, farmers must take control measures to prevent fungal attacks in their garlic harvest. The effective control of fungal infections can only be achieved through proper crop rotation, clean seed usage, fungicide use, proper harvesting, and storage. Using these control measures will guarantee healthy, high-quality garlic yields.