The present work was carried out in the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Technology and Development (Ghazala-Zagazig), Zagazig University, Sharkia Governorate during two successive winter seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, to assess the effect of two planting dates, 15th September and 1st October, pre-sowing treatments by soaking cloves, i.e. 250 ppm GA3, yeast extract (4g L-1) and water (control) as well as four different sources and applications of potassium fertilizer, i.e. foliar spray of liquid potassium (37.5% K2O), Potassium humate or thiosulphate at 3 mlL-1 integrated with the half recommended dose of potassium (48 kg K2O/fed) for each as soil dressing and their interactions beside the control treatment(96kgK2O/fed)as soil dressing only without any foliar application on germination, growth, productivity and storability of garlic cv. Sids – 40.
The acquired results indicate generally that, early sowing date 15th Sep. had enhancing effects on germination percentage, number of days to emergence, vegetative growth characters, yield
and its components, as well as, quality and storability of bulbs. Soaking cloves at 250 ppm of GA3 for 12 hours as pre-sowing treatment increased the morphological traits, yield and its components, the chemical composition of plant and cloves as well as bulb storability. Foliar spray of potassium humate or thiosulphate at 3 mlL-1 with 48kg K2O/fed as soil dressing showed superior performance of all studied parameters. The best interaction values of most plant growth characteristics, i.e. plant height, No. of leaves, fresh and dry weight/plant, diameter of neck and bulb as well as bulbing ratio and yield components, i.e. physical characters of bulb, i.e. fresh and dry weight of bulb, fresh weight of clove and No. of cloves/bulb as well as total yield, exportable and marketable yield/fed and plant chemical composition, i.e. N, P and K content, cloves quality, i.e. N, P, K and total carbohydrates content as well as decreasing weight loss of bulbs during storage period were obtained by soaking cloves at 250 ppm of GA3 for 12 hrs,pre- sowing at the early date 15th Sep. and spraying plants with 3 mlL-1 of potassium humate or thiosulphate with 48 kg K2O/fed as soil dressing.
Conclusively, planting on 15th of September after soaking cloves for 12 hours at 250 ppm of GA3and fertilized plants with 48 kg K2O/fed as soil dressing combined with spraying 3mlL-1 with potassium humate or thiosulphate considered as much cheaper, easier and saver technique compared with the traditional methods of application of potassium fertilizer ,could be recommended to produce the higher production and quality of garlic crop.