Horticultural Science and Technology ISSN:1226-8763(Print) 2465-8588(Online) 원예과학기술지

We investigated growth, clove development, and photosystem II activity in garlic (Allium sativum L.) grown under different day/night temperature regimes using Soil-Plant-Atmosphere - Research (SPAR) chambers to determine the optimum cultivation temperature and to assess the impact of temperature stress on garlic. In the early stages of growth, plant growth increased markedly with temperature. At harvest time, however, the pseudostem diameter decreased significantly under a relatively low day/night temperature range (14/10 - 17/12°C), suggesting that these temperature conditions favor regular bulb growth. At harvest time, the bulb diameter and height were great at 14/10 - 23/18°C, whereas the bulb fresh weight and number of cloves per bulb were greatest at 17/12 - 20/15°C. However, the number of regularly developed cloves per bulb was highest at the relatively low temperature range of 14/10 - 17/12°C, as were the clove length and fresh weight. The photochemical efficiency (F_v/F_m) and potential photochemical efficiency (F_v/F_o) of photosystem II in the leaves of garlic plants were higher at 14/10 - 20/15°C and lower at temperatures below 14/10°C or above 20/15°C, implying that the 14/10 - 20/15°C temperature range is favorable, whereas temperatures outside this range are stressful F_or garlic growth. Furthermore, at temperatures above 20/15°C, secondary growth of garlic, defined as lateral bud differentiation into secondary plants, continuous growth of the cloves of the primary plants, or the growth of bulbil buds into secondary plants, was enhanced. ThereF_ore, to achieve commercial production of fresh scapes and bulbs of garlic, it may be better to grow garlic at relatively low temperature ranges of 14/10 - 17/12°C.