Yield and Quality Response of Salt-stressed Garlic

Garlic ( Allium sativum L.) salt tolerance was determined in a 2-year field plot study. Saline treatments were imposed by irrigating with water that was salinized with 1 NaCl: 1 CaCl 2 (w/w). The electrical conductivities of the irrigation water was 1.4 (control), 3.1, 5.8, 8.8, 12.0, and 14.8 dS·m –1 in 1990 to 1991 and 1.4, 2.0, 3.9, 5.8, 7.8, and 9.9 dS·m –1 in 1991 to 1992. Considering both years, relative bulb yield was reduced 14.3% with each unit increase in soil salinity >3.9 dS·m –1 . Increasing soil salinity significantly reduced all yield components (i.e., bulb weight and diameter; plants per unit area). Percentage of solids in the bulb was significantly reduced as soil salinity increased. Leaf tissue accumulated significantly higher Cl, Na, and Ca concentrations then did bulb tissue.