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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #176074
Title: PHENOTYPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF OPEN POLLINATED GARLIC PROGENIES.

Author
item Jenderek, Maria
item Hannan, Richard

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/2003
Publication Date: 8/4/2003
Citation: Jenderek, M.M., Hannan, R.M. 2003. Phenotypic characteristics of open pollinated garlic progenies. Hortscience. V. 38(5). P. 673.

Interpretive Summary: NA. Abstract only.

Technical Abstract: Production of true seed in garlic is well documented. However, phenotypic characteristics of plants derived from true seeds have not been reported. In this study, the progenies of 13 open-pollinated families that originated from Allium sativum and A. longicuspis USDA germplasm accessions from the collection at Pullman, WA, were evaluated for an array of plant and bulb characteristics when grown in the environment of the Central California San Joaquin Valley. Wide inter- and intra- variation was observed for the characters of plant survival (7.8-83.3%), bulb maturity (June-December), bulb weight (0.1-53.3 g), number of cloves (2.9- 10.4), and the lack of ability to mature in one growing season (0-23.5%). The extent of unfavorable attributes relative to production, such as low seedling survival, small bulbs, and the fraction of bulbs with symptoms of physiological degradation (waxy breakdown), varied between populations. The wide range in values for these characteristics highlights the challenges for breeders of garlic. However, they present the potential for sexually derived progenies that will enhance the further development of better cultivars with traits that may not be available from clonally propagated material. These characters would include low number of cloves, new maturity windows, or non-bolting quality in the first growing season.