THE IMPACT OF SELECTED AGROTECHNICAL TREATMENTS ON THE GROWTH OF WILD GARLIC ( Allium ursinum L.) LEAVES IN FIELD CULTIVATION

Wild garlic ( Allium ursinum L.) is a typical spring geophyte whose natural habitat is beech forests. The research aimed to assess the possibility of cultivating wild garlic in field conditions significantly different from those required by this plant, using environmentally friendly and unconventional treatments. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of selected agricultural practices (catch crop, shading plant, biopreparations) on the growth of wild garlic leaves grown in the field. The results show that the biomass of catch crops and shade plants and biopreparations from marine algae are justified in cultivating wild garlic in field conditions regarding the leaf yield. Ploughing of phacelia biomass on a catchment soil with an unstable structure positively affected the growth of wild garlic, increasing the length of leaves, their number, and the length and width of the leaf blade. Winter turnip rape used as a shade plant caused an increase in the length of the leaves and the value of the F V /F M index (the quotient of the variable fluorescence to the maximum fluorescence), and also, depending on the year of the study, the length and width of the garlic leaf blade. Soaking the bulbs before planting in the ‘Kelpak SL’ solution increased the number of garlic leaves growing without turnip rape cover in the second and third years of cultivation. In the first year of vegetation, longer leaves with a larger leaf blade ensured the preparation was sprayed three times without pre-soaking the bulbs. Considering the biopreparations’ positive effect on the growth of garlic leaves and the F V /F M ratio values, their use is prospective regarding the increasing occurrence of dry years and is an alternative to plant irrigation.


INTRODUCTION
down to imitating the conditions of the natural habitat of this species. Due to the high biological value, a significant increase in interest in growing this plant has been observed for several years. Therefore, it is crucial to develop the possibility of cultivating wild garlic in the field and to determine the adaptability of this plant to the conditions of the habitat due to the narrow range of ecological tolerance [Rola 2012, Grime et al. 2014, Haeggström et al. 2016, Sobolewska 2018. Most of the research on wild garlic relates to the results obtained from wild plants (under uncontrolled conditions). Hence, research is also needed to explain the effect of growing conditions on bioactive compounds [Petropoulos et al. 2020].
In the research carried out so far on the cultivation of wild garlic in Poland, shade tubes and irrigation have been used most often . It entails the need to build unique structures and increases the cost of cultivation. The research aimed to assess the possibility of cultivating A. ursinum in field conditions significantly different from those required by this plant, using environmentally friendly and unconventional treatments. To improve soil conditions, a catch crop was used, the biomass of which was mixed with the soil, the shade was replaced with a shade plant, and to increase the resistance of garlic to stress, especially drought, biopreparations were used (Bio-Algeen S90 and Kelpak SL). Among the non-legume catch crops, the phacelia biomass was distinguished by the highest content of macro elements, especially calcium and potassium, and it provided much biomass [Kęsik et al. 2002, Płaza et al. 2009, Błażewicz-Woźniak and Wach 2012; therefore a phacelia catch crop was decided.
Biostimulants are effective when plants are grown in unfavourable conditions [Mystkowska 2018]. Many researchers emphasise the importance of marine algae in counteracting the effects of stressors on crops, such as excessive salinity, high temperature, drought, and cold [Mancuso et al. 2006, Matysiak et al. 2012, Sharma et al. 2014, Bulgari et al. 2019, Hassan et al. 2021]. Among the three types of algae: brown algae (Phaeophyta), green algae (Chlorophyta) and red algae (Rhodophyta), the first has the most excellent biostimulatory properties. These include Esklonia maxima, the extract of which is used as a preparation Kelpak SL with a high concentration of auxins and cytokinins (11 mg l -1 and 0.031 mg l -1 , respectively). Bio-Algeen S90 preparation, qualified for use in organic farming in Poland, is produced from Ascophyllum nodosum, algae with a particularly beneficial effect on arable crops [Khan et al. 2009]. Bio-Algeen S90 contains 90 groups of organic compounds, including alginic acid, vitamins and amino acids [Truba et al. 2012, Mikiciuk andDobromilska 2014]. The action of algae largely depends on the dose, treatment frequency and crop species [Matysiak et al. 2012, Mitura et al. 2014, Bulgari et al. 2019, Parađiković et al. 2019.
The most frequently used parameter for assessing the impact of stressful conditions on a plant is the index that determines the maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII). It is defined by the quotient of the variable fluorescence to the maximum fluorescence (F V /F M ). Its high level (0.83-0.85 relative units) proves the good condition of plants and the absence of stress factors. A deficient level (0.20-0.30 relative units) indicates irreversible changes in the structure of PSII. The photochemical efficiency of the photosynthetic system II determined using the F V /F M ratio, allows for a reliable measurement of the activity of the photosynthetic apparatus [Cetner et al. 2016, Durlak 2019].
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of selected agricultural practices (catch crop, shading plant, biopreparations) on the growth of wild garlic leaves grown in the field.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The field experiment was carried out in 2018-2020 at the experimental station Felin belonging to the University of Life Sciences in Lublin (Poland, 22°56'E, 51°23'N), on grey-brown podzolic soil (AP) developed from loess formations covering the createous marls with a granulometric composition corresponding to medium dusty loam . These soils are difficult to cultivate, easily susceptible to rain thickening, and easy-crusting during drought.
Before the establishment of the experiment, the soil contained 1.04-1.11% of humus in a 0-20 cm layer, 69 mg N, 27 mg P, 84 mg K, 563.5 mg Ca and 66 mg Mg dm -3 of soil, at pH in KCl 5.96-6.12. After pre-sowing tillage, on 23/06/2017, phacelia Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth. (catch crop) was sown in half of the field. Phacelia biomass was ground on August 30, and the field was cultivated on September 4 and prepared for planting. Every year fertilisation with P (superphosphate) and K (potassium sulphate) was used in autumn, while N (ammonium nitrate) in spring, supplementing nutrients to the level of (mg dm -3 ): 120 N (NH 4 + NO 3 ), 70 P, 200 K , Sady 2012. The experiment was set up using completely randomised blocks in 3 replications. The replicate was 15 plants. The area of a single plot was 3.52 m 2 . Allium ursinum bulbs came from previously conducted field experiments, for which the permission of the Regional Director for Environmental Protection [J. of Laws of 2012, item 81 as amended]. The bulbs were planted into the ground on September 13, 2017, at a 30 × 30 cm distance. Then, the entire experiment was covered with a layer of pine bark, according to the results of the research by Kęsik et al. [2011] and Błażewicz-Woźniak et al. [2018]. Fifteen plants were replicated. The experimental design included the following factors: I. Catch crop: A/ no catch crop, B/ phacelia catch crop; II. Shading plant: a/ without plant, b/ winter turnip rape (Brassica campestris ssp. oleifera f. biennis); III. Biopreparations: 1/ control (without the use of preparations); 2/ Bio-Algeen S90 (spraying), 3/ Kelpak SL (spraying), 4/ Kelpak SL (soaking before planting at a concentration of 0.3% for 5 minutes + spraying). Winter turnip rape was sown every year on September 5-6. Spraying with preparations was applied three times with an interval of 7 days, starting from the phase of producing two leaves. Bio-Algeen S90 was applied at 2 l ha -1 , while Kelpak SL at the first spraying was 3 l ha -1 and the remaining 2 l ha -1 . Every year, during the growing season, the biometric measurements of all plants were performed twice: 1. one month after emergence; 2. before flowering (April 25 and May 8, 2018, April 19 and May 8, 2019, and April 7 and May 7, 2020. During this period, the leaves are typically harvested for consumption. No chemical protection was applied, and the weeds were removed manually. The level of chlorophyll fluorescence was assessed using an OS30p+ fluorimeter (Opti-Sciences, Inc. USA). The weather conditions during the vegetation of wild garlic in the years 2018-2020 are shown in Table 1 and 2. Achieved results were statistically processed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The difference significance was determined using Tukey's test at p = 0.05.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Depending on the date and year of the study, the height of the garlic leaf rosette ranged from 139 to 261 mm on average (Tab. 3). In the studies by Błażewicz-Woźniak and Michowska [2011], the height of the garlic leaf rosettes, depending on the year of re-search and the date of measurements (April, May), ranges on average from 104 to 337 mm. In the studies by Kęsik et al. [2011], the length of wild garlic leaves in the subsequent years of vegetation ranged on average from 107.3 to 210.0 mm in April and from 171.7 to 302.9 mm in May. The values obtained in the conducted research were lower, which proves the harsh growth conditions for wild garlic, which were caused not only by soil conditions and the lack of plant shading but also by the extreme weather conditions in 2018-2020 (drought and high temperatures) - Table 1 and 2. Allium ursinum inhabits mainly shady decid- In these months, the weather was dry and very sunny. The shadow created by the turnip rape compensated for the unfavourable conditions for cultivation in the open field for A. ursinum. Regardless of the year of the study, garlic rosettes growing with turnip rape were, on average, 2.3% higher in April than those growing without undersown and in May by 5.9%. The beneficial effect of turnip rape undersown as a shade plant indicates the possibility of using this type of natural plant covers increases biodiversity and is an alternative to shade blinds used in horticulture.
The reaction of wild garlic to the biopreparations used was ambiguous. Regardless of the year of the study, the rosettes of garlic growing with turnip rape and sprayed three times with Bio-Algeen S90 were significantly the highest in April. In the study by Dobromilska and Gubarewicz [2008], spraying plants with Bio--Algeen S90 stimulated the vegetative growth of the small fruit tomato cv. Conchita F1. Applying Bio-Algeen S90 increased the content of chlorophyll (a, b, and total) and carotenoids in the leaves of small-sized tomato cv. Bianka F1 [Mikiciuk and Dobromilska 2014].
On the other hand, in 2018, the highest were the A. ursinum leaf rosettes sprayed three times with Kelpak SL growing with turnip rape seeding (230-240 mm), and the lowest when additionally soaking the bulbs in this preparation (202-212 mm), or Kelpak SL spraying with cultivation without undersowing (197 mm). On the other hand, in May 2019, the plants growing with turnip rape and sprayed three times with Kelpak SL, and those whose bulbs were pre-soaked were the highest (279 and 275 mm, respectively). Kelpak SL treatment successfully improved the growth parameters of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) seedlings in a deficiency of P and K [Papenfus et al. 2013]. Carrots also improved after this preparation [Gupta et al. 2021]. The beneficial effect of Kelpak spraying on the growth of onion leaves was reported by Szczepanek et al. [2017], who reported that "Almost in each treatment, the aboveground part of onion was higher than without biostimulant, whereas the number of leaves increased after the triple application from the three-leaf stage, in doses of 3 + 2 + 2 dm 3 ha -1 ".
In the current experiment, the number of garlic leaves increased from year to year with the age of the plants (Tab. 4). In the first year of cultivation, the bulbs produced from 1.9 to 3.3 pcs of leaves, and in the third, from 13.1 to 28.4 pcs (in May). From April 2019 to May 2020, significantly more leaves were determined in plants cultivated after using phacelia intercrop than in cultivation without intercrop. Phacelia and oat mulches also created the best conditions for the cultivation of parsley [Błażewicz-Woźniak 2005]. Regardless of the year of research in cultivation with a catch crop, garlic produced in May by an average of 1.2 leaves more than without a catch crop. There was no significant effect of turnip rape on garlic foliage. However, in 2020 most leaves were produced by garlic growing without turnip rape seeding and sprayed with Kelpak SL, whose bulbs were pre-soaked in this preparation (on average 27.8 pcs.), while three times spraying with Kelpak SL or Bio-Algeen S90 preparation did not give a good effect this year (average 19.8 and 18.4 pcs., respectively). Also, in April 2018, the highest number of leaves was determined in the Kelpak SL sprayed plants and pre-soaked bulbs. Pre-harvest foliar application of seaweed (Ascophylum nodosum) extract significantly increased plant height, the number of leaves and the leaf area of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) [Khan et al. 2018]. After foliar application of biostimulants, an increase in the num- The length of the garlic leaf blade, depending on the date and year of the study, ranged from 112 to 172 mm on average (Tab. 5). Regardless of the year of the research, mixing phacelia biomass with soil positively affected the length of the leaf blade in April. In the first year of garlic cultivation, the leaf blades of plants in plots with phacelia catch crops were 6 mm longer than those without catch crops. The beneficial effect of phacelia biomass was also seen in April and May in the third year of cultivation. The positive effect of phacelia intercrops on onion growth and the subsequent effect of phacelia intercrops (in the second year after application) on carrot yield was demonstrated in the studies by Kęsik and Błażewicz-Woźniak [2008]. In 2018 and 2019, longer leaf blades were formed by garlic growing near the turnip rape (by 5.4-6.1% in May). The applied preparations did not significantly affect the length of the leaf blade, as assessed independently of the year of the study, but in April 2018, the most extended blades were determined in plants sprayed three times with Kelpak SL and the shortest in plants sprayed with this biostimulant, whose bulbs were pre-soaked. In April 2019, the longest plaques were in the Kelpak SL sprayed plants, the bulbs of which were pre-soaked, and the shortest at the control, and in April and May 2020, the longest plaques were in the Kelpak SL sprayed plants, the bulbs of which were pre-soaked, and the shortest after three multiple Kelpak SL spraying without soaking the bulbs. Soaking seed potatoes for 5 minutes before planting in a Kelpak SL solution with a concentration of 0.2-0.4% or spraying with a working liquid at a concentration of 0.5% during planting is recommended in potato culti-vation [Mitura et al. 2014]. In the first year of vegetation, garlic produced the most extended leaf blades in the combination of phacelia + turnip rape + Kelpak SL (an average of 184 mm). In the analysed studies, there was no significant effect of using Bio-Algeen S90 on the size of garlic leaves, while in the studies by Jamiołkowska [2014], the treatments with Bio-Algeen S90 had a positive effect on the size of leaves of sweet pepper relative to the control. Depending on the date and year of the study, the garlic leaf width ranged from 32 to 54 mm on average (Tab. 6). Similar results in studies on garlic ecotypes  158  167  130  168  105  156  131  164  Bioalgeen  162  168  133  171  112  156  136  165  Kelpak  160  158  132  163  117  163  136  161  Kelpak 2x  160  164  142  165  117  170  140  166  mean  160  164  134  167  113  161  136  164   turnip rape   without  168  175  134  172  119  161  140  169  Bioalgeen  166  173  140  176  113  155  140  168  Kelpak  178  185  143  182  100  144  140  170  Kelpak 2x  152  164  139  175  115  160  135  In all years and dates of measurements, the wider gills were produced by garlic grown in the combination of phacelia × turnip rape, while the narrowest in cultivation without phacelia and turnip rape. The applied preparations did not significantly affect the width of the leaf blade, as assessed independently of the year of the study. In contrast, in April 2018, the widest blades were determined in the Bio-Algeen S90 sprayed plants and the narrowest in the Kelpak SL sprayed plants, whose bulbs were pre-soaked. In May 2019, the widest gills were in the Kelpak SL sprayed plants, and the narrowest in the Kelpak SL sprayed plants, whose bulbs were pre-soaked. In May 2020, both Kelpak SL application methods positively affected the lamina's width, while the narrowest leaves were in control. Chlorophyll fluorescence parameters differed depending on the treatments used to cultivate garlic (Fig. 1). Turnip rape used as a shade plant increased the F V /F M ratio value compared to cultivation without turnip rape. It was evident in 2018 (average 0.701 and 0.619, respectively). The highest F V /F M ratio value was recorded in the combination of phacelia catch crop + turnip rape (0.740). In 2019, the highest F V / F M ratio value was found after spraying with Kelpak SL (0.703) and the lowest without biopreparations (0.570). This tendency occurred on average, regardless of the year of the study.

CONCLUSIONS
The obtained results show that the biomass of catch crops and shade plants and biopreparations from marine algae are justified in cultivating wild garlic in field conditions regarding the leaf yield.
Ploughing phacelia biomass on catchment soil with an unstable structure positively affected the wild garlic growth by increasing the length of leaves, their number, and the length and width of the leaf blade.
Winter turnip rape used as a shade plant caused an increase in the length of the leaves and the value of the F V /F M index, and also, depending on the year of the study, the length and width of the garlic leaf blade.
Soaking the bulbs before planting in the Kelpak SL solution increased the number of garlic leaves growing without turnip rape cover in the second and third years of cultivation. In the first year of vegetation, longer leaves with a larger leaf blade ensured the preparation was sprayed three times without pre-soaking the bulbs.
Considering the biopreparations' positive effect on the growth of garlic leaves and the F V /F M ratio values, their use is prospective in terms of the increasing occurrence of dry years and is an alternative to plant irrigation.

SOURCE OF FUNDING
Research supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland as part of the statutory activities of the Institute of Horticultural Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin.