GARLIC

Plant protection

Pests

Thrips: Thrips tabaci

Nymphs and adult thrips lacerate the epidermis of leaves and suck the exuding cell sap. The affected leaves show silvery blotches, which later turn into brownish colour, and the plants ultimately wilt and dry away.

Control: Soil application of phorate or carbofuran granules (1kg a.i./ha) and spraying dimecron @ 1 ml/litre.

Maggot Hylemia antiqua

The larva enters into soil and damage disc portion of bulb. Infested plants turn yellowish brown and finally dry up. The affected bulbs rot in storage.

Control: Regular crop rotation should be followed and thimet should be applied in the soil before transplanting.

Cutworms Agrotis ipsilon

Young larvae cut the seedlings at ground level during night and hide during day. The tender plants are found damped at ground level during the night.

Control: Soil application of carbofuran (1kg a.i./ha) at the time of planting is recommended. chlorpyriphos (5ml/litre) also gives good control of this pest.

Diseases

Blast, damping-off, basal rot, downy mildew, smut, bacterial brown rot, anthracnose, white rot, and neck rot are some of the diseases found serious in garlic crop under north Indian conditions. To control blast, spray mancozeb (2 g/litre). Following proper sanitary and phytosanitary measures will take care of the disease and normally no pesticide spray is needed.

Last updated: 10-06-2008