Influence of Catch Crops on Yield and Chemical Composition of Winter Garlic Grown for Bunch Harvesting

Andrzej Sałata, Gaetano Pandino, Halina Buczkowska and Sara Lombardo
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Andrzej Sałata: Department of Vegetable Crops and Medicinal Plants, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Gaetano Pandino: Di3A- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Halina Buczkowska: Department of Vegetable Crops and Medicinal Plants, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
Sara Lombardo: Di3A- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-14

Abstract: The cultivation of catch crops left on the surface of the field in the form of mulch promotes sustainable farming practices, while protecting the biodiversity of agricultural landscape. The paper presents results of research from 2013–2016, aimed at determining the usefulness of catch crops of millet, buckwheat, white mustard, bird’s-foot and Egyptian clover for soil mulching in winter garlic cultivation. The effect of soil litter on the amount of garlic crop in cultivation for bunch harvest and nutritional value determined by chemical composition of edible parts was determined. In the edible part of garlic, the content of dry matter, total and reducing sugars, L-ascorbic acid, total ash, crude fiber, phenolic acids and essential oil was evaluated. The control consisted of plots without mulch plants. In the cultivation of garlic under organic mulch, there was no decrease in commercial yield and no negative competitive effect on yielding. Garlic plants cultivated with mulch plants were characterized by increased height and developed more leaves. The catch crops used in the form of mulch did not affect the dry matter and total ash content in garlic bulbs. In the cultivation with plant litter, the concentration of phenolic acids and essential oil in the leaves was higher and the content of crude fiber was lower, compared to the cultivation without litter. Biomass from catch crops from clover and mustard increased the content of L-ascorbic acid, at the same time reducing the content of total and reducing sugars in the edible part of garlic, except for mulch plants of the bean family. The chemical composition of garlic was affected by different thermal and precipitation conditions in the years of research. In 2016, the year with the highest total rainfall, plants accumulated more dry matter, L-ascorbic acid as well as total and reducing sugars than in 2014 and 2015, years with less rainfall. Our research indicates that there are prospects for practical application of catch crops in the form of mulch for garlic cultivation to enhance the level of nutrients, without compromising the yield.

Keywords: Allium sativum L.; type of mulch; marketable yield; chemical composition; phenolic acids; essential oil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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