EFFECT OF PLANTING DATES AND PERIODS OF CURING ON QUANTITATIVE, QUALITATIVE CHARACTERISTICS AND STORAGE ABILITY OF TWO GARLIC CULTIVARS

Two field experiments were carried out during the winter seasons of 2013/2014 ,2014/2015 at the Agricultural Experimental Station Farm (at Abies), Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria university, to investigate the effect of planting dates (10th of September, 1stof October and 20th of October) on vegetative growth characters, yield and its components ,quality characteristics and storability of two garlic cultivars (Balady and Sids-40). Early planting dates (10 th of September and 1st of October),gave the highest plant height, number of leaves and plant weight. Also,
recorded higher mean values of bulb yield and its components ,i.e., bulb weight, cloves weight (endow, External ) , number of cloves per bulb,bulb diameter, neck diameter and bulbing ratio) of the two tested garlic cultivars than the late planting date (20th of October), in both seasons.Results indicated significant differences between the two tested cultivars, where , Balady cultivar had higher plant height , more number of cloves head-1 , thicker neck diameter and higher bulbing ratio than Sids-40 ,which recorded higher mean values for number of leaves and plant weight as well as head bulb weight, and bulb diameter. Based on the obtained results, early planting date on 10th of September is recommended for achieving better vegetative growth and higher bulb yield and its components of the garlic plants , particularly, Sids-40 under the environmental conditions prevailing in Alexandria Governorate. Minimum weight loss was recorded with curing for 21 days . Sids-40 was superior in this respect