title: Growth of wheat and lettuce and enzyme activities of soils under garlic stalk decomposition for different durations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Garlic (Allium sativum L.) stalk is a byproduct of garlic production that is normally thought of as waste but is now considered a useful biological resource. It is necessary to utilize this resource efficiently and reasonably to reduce environmental pollution and achieve sustainable agricultural development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The effect of garlic stalk decomposed for different durations was investigated in this study using wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa L.) as test plants. Garlic stalk in early stages of decomposition inhibited the shoot and root lengths of wheat and lettuce, but it promoted the shoot and root lengths in later stages; longer durations of garlic stalk decomposition significantly increased the shoot and root fresh weights of wheat and lettuce, whereas shorter decomposing durations significantly decreased the shoot and root fresh weights; and garlic stalk at different decomposition durations increased the activities of urease, sucrase and alkaline phosphatase in soil where wheat or lettuce was planted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Garlic stalk decomposed for 30 or 40 days could promote the growth of wheat and lettuce plants as well as soil enzyme activities. These results may provide a scientific basis for the study and application of garlic stalk. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.|Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Danzhou, Hainan 571737, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Zhihui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
authors.forename: Huanwen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meng
mesh_terms: D005308:Fertilizers / Q000032:analysis; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry; D018545:Lactuca / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D014908:Triticum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D014866:Waste Products / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D012987:Soil; D014866:Waste Products
keywords: decomposition duration; garlic stalk; plant growth; soil enzyme activity