Impact of Zinc oxide Nano-particles (NPs) on growth, yield, and storage ability of garlic (Allium sativum L.).

This study was conducted in the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 seasons to assess the impact of different Zinc oxides as micronutrients and Zinc Oxide as Nanoparticles at concentrations of 0, 20, 40, and 60 mg/L applied as soaking cloves before cultivation or foliar application at 60, 75 and 90 days after planting on the garlic growth, yield, and storage ability. Soaking cloves before cultivation markedly increased growth parameters (plant length, neck diameter, bulb diameter, and leaves number per plant), yield, and its components (neck diameter, bulb diameter, bulb weight, total yield, T.S.S., cloves number per bulb, average clove weight, bulb dry weight, N%, P%, K%, Zinc%, Protein% and cured yield). Also, soaking cloves led to the less weight loss after curing and during the different storage ages (one, three and seven months after storage through the first season). Zinc Oxide or Nanoparticles of Zinc oxide at 60 mg/L gave the highest growth and yield characteristics and reduced storage weight loss.