Garlic is a hardy crop, but still faces its fair share of challenges. To grow healthy, high-yielding garlic, it’s important to pay attention to three areas – pest control, disease management and proper plant nutrition. These factors work together to ensure garlic plants remain vigorous.Though garlic is known to repel some pests due to its smell and natural compounds like allicin, it is not completely safe from attacks. Allicin, released when garlic cloves are crushed, helps protect the plant and is even used to keep away pests in home gardens.However, certain pests. Among the pests, thrips and aphids are the most common. Thrips are tiny insects that suck sap from garlic leaves. Their feeding weakens the plant, reduces bulb size and can even leads to the death of the crop infestations. Silver streaks or curling on the leaves are signs that thrips are present.To control thrips, blue sticky traps can be placed around the field. Garlic extract or neem oil can be sprayed for organic management. Crop rotation also reduces their population.Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that suck sap from young garlic leaves and stems. They can cause significant damage, especially because they multiply rapidly and can spread plant diseases. Regular monitoring is important, as early detection allows for simple control methods like spraying them off with water or using neem oil or insecticides. If left, aphids can easily spread to nearby crops, turning a small problem into a full-blown infestation. Keeping a close eye on your plants and acting quickly is the best way to control aphids.Garlic is also prone to diseases, especially fungal. The most serious is white rot, caused by a soil-borne fungus. It attacks the roots and bulbs, creating a white, cottony fungus that causes the garlic to rot. Once white rot infects a field, it can remain in the soil for years, making it difficult to control. The best approach is to prevent it in the first place by rotating crops and removing infected plants immediately.Purple blotch is another common disease. It affects the leaves, causing purple or dark brown spots, especially in humid conditions. If left untreated, it can reduce the ability of the plant to photosynthesise and affect bulb development. To manage purple blotch, ensure good spacing between plants for air circulation, avoid overhead irrigation and if needed, apply organic fungicides.Always plant certified, disease-free seed garlic.Aside from direct pest and disease management, one of the best ways to protect your garlic crop is by keeping the plants strong through proper nutrition.Healthy garlic plants are naturally more resistant to pests and disease. Before planting, prepare your soil with well-rotted manure or compost to improve fertility.During the early stages of growth, garlic needs nitrogen to produce healthy leaves. As the bulbs begin to form, phosphorus and potassium are important for strong bulb development. Be careful not to apply too much nitrogen, especially late in the season, as it can promote leafy growth at the expense of bulbs and make the plant more prone to disease. We shall look at harvesting of garlic next [email protected] Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
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