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

The growth and mineral content of garlic (Allium sativum L.) grown in different types of soil on Jeju Island, including black volcanic ash soil (BS), very dark-brown volcanic ash soil (VDBS), and dark-brown non-volcanic ash soil (DBS), were investigated to evaluate soil–crop system management, which is required to increase crop quality and productivity. Examining the soil physicochemical properties, the organic matter and total nitrogen contents were higher, while the available P₂O₅ and Mg contents were lower, in the volcanic ash soils than in the non-volcanic ash soil. During the growing stage, plant height and pseudo stem diameter were greater in garlic grown in VDBS or DBS compared to BS. At harvest time, bulb diameter and length, the number of cloves per bulb, and clove weight were greater in VDBS or DBS than in BS. In addition, in BS, shoot growth, bulb development, and clove differentiation were abnormal. The total N, P, K, Ca, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu contents in the bulbs were also higher in garlic grown in DBS or VDBS compared to BS. Specifically, the K, Mn, Zn, and Cu contents increased significantly in garlic grown in DBS. These results suggest that soil physicochemical properties affected the growth and development of garlic, and that the cloves should be grown in VDBS or DBS to increase the productivity of high-quality garlic with large, mineral-rich bulbs.