What causes hollow garlic? Detailed explanation of preventive measures

Garlic is one of the common seasonings in our daily lives, and it is grown all across the country, but many farmers report that the hollow garlic phenomenon is becoming more and more serious. From the outside, the garlic bulb looks plump, but after sun exposure, the poorly developed clove buds dehydrate and form a membranous layer, and when squeezed by hand they become hollow and shrunken. It seriously affects the commercial value of garlic. What causes it? How can it be prevented? Let's take a look together.

I. Causes of hollow garlic

1. Variety degeneration

Garlic reproduces asexually, so traits generally do not separate and change. Most growers keep their own seed garlic, but in some areas the seed garlic is not replaced for a long time. This situation causes serious degeneration of the garlic variety, resulting in poorer disease resistance and stress resistance, and thus the hollow phenomenon appears.

2. Insufficient nutrients

Garlic needs sufficient fertilizer and water during the clove bud differentiation stage. If fertilizer and water are insufficient, and the planting density is too high, plus the soil fertility is poor, the garlic clove buds will not differentiate and develop, increasing the probability of hollow garlic.

3. Improper planting time

Garlic is relatively strict about planting time. Planting too early or too late can both cause hollow garlic to form. Planting too early with too high a temperature is unfavorable for clove bud differentiation, while planting too late with too low a temperature makes dead plants or premature aging more likely.

4. Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer

Many growers apply a lot of nitrogen fertilizer when garlic turns green. Applying nitrogen fertilizer early promotes garlic growth, but excessive nitrogen fertilizer causes excessive vegetative growth and secondary growth in garlic. When the vegetative growth of garlic is stronger than the reproductive growth, the hollow phenomenon is very likely to occur.

II. Preventive measures

When planting garlic, it is recommended to rotate crops and change plots every 2-3 years, and not to plant continuously on the same plot, as this will increase the incidence of diseases and pests such as garlic maggots. At the same time, seed garlic should be renewed and replaced in a timely manner. When planting, master the planting time well and plant reasonably according to the local weather. When watering and fertilizing at the greening stage, control the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied. During the clove bud differentiation stage, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to promote clove bud differentiation. In the later growth stage, foliar fertilizer can be used to spray some boron fertilizer and amino acids, which can significantly improve the stress resistance of the plants, promote early maturity, prevent lodging and premature aging, and have an obvious yield-increasing effect.

The above is an introduction to the causes of hollow garlic and preventive measures. I hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please follow us.