Quantitative Properties and Water Use Efficiency of White Garlic (Ecotype Hamedan) by Cut-off Date and Irrigation Level

Irrigation management includes cut-off dates, water volume and irrigation frequency control to influence the yield and post-harvest status of garlic. In this study, the effect of cut-off dates and irrigation levels on garlic were investigated over three years using a completely randomized block arranged in a split plot experimental design consisting of three levels of irrigation (75%, 100%, 125% water use) as the main plot and three irrigation cut-off dates (current date of cut-off, one week prior to and one week subsequent to the prevalent date for Hamedan garlic farms) as the sub-plot with three replications. After harvesting, the clove weight, bulb diameter, clove and skin numbers and yield were measured. The greatest and least clove weights were obtained for 125% water used in the third (47.5 g) and first (39.8 g) cut-off dates, respectively. Clove weight and bulb diameter for the third date increased and skin number decreased. The greatest yield was obtained for 125% water and at the first cut-off date (10450 kg/ha). The differences were not significant for the other treatments, except for 75% water used at the third cut-off date (8622 kg/ha). The greatest WUE was found for 75% water at the first cut-off date (9.7 kg/m3). As a result of this study, the 75% level of irrigation and the first cut-off date were shown to be the most suitable.