Suitable Method for Natural Curing of Garlic (Allium sativum L.)

Curing is one of the critical stages in postharvest wastage of garlic. To find out the suitable method of curing, a two-year examination has been followed. Garlic bulbs were harvested 7 days after cutting off irrigation and, from the point of diameter, were devided into three groups: less than 3.5 cm. between 3.5 to 5.5 cm. and longer than 5.5 cm. Plants cured with leaves of various shapes (standing and horizontal) and without leaves (upward and downward stem) to be dried up in the shade and were compared with the field curing: harvesting 35 days after the last irrigation. Results showed that after harvesting, the moisture content of various parts of bulbs with diameter longer than 5.5 cm. was more than what could be found in other two groups and the difference between pungency and firmness of bulbs was not significant. Among treatments, moisture loss in bulbs dried with leaves was higher than that in bulbs without leaves, and little difference was noticed in moisture losses among the bulbs of different sizes. Spoilage and bulb weight loss after four months, as well as color changes and pungency losses in field curing were significantly higher than that when curung occurred out of the field. Curing with the leaves faced with more color changes and weight loss than what could be niticed in curing without the leaves. We came to this conclusion that curing without the leaves was the best way of curing, but there was no significant difference between the quality properties and shelf life of bulbs with upward or downward stems.