Bulb production of 38 Iranian garlic (Allium sativum L.) cultivars in greenhouse conditions.

Abstract

The study was carried out with 38 collected garlic (Allium sativum L.) cultivars from 3 important garlic production area in Iran (Zanjan, Hamadan and Mazandaran). The cloves were planted in 30 × 30 cm pots in control conditions (average temperature: 20 °C and 60 % RH). Randomized complete block design with 3 replications was conducted. The bulbing characteristics such as bulb weight, bulb circumference and number of cloves per bulb were evaluated. Although all 38 parental bulbs had multiple cloves, but only few cultivars have produced multi cloves in greenhouse conditions. Two classes of garlic cultivars were observed. Class A including 26 cultivars formed only single clove that their bulb weights were varied between 7 to 25.2 g. Class B including 12 cultivars were produce normal bulbs. The cultivar of Zanjan had the biggest bulbs (65 g in average) and others (Tarom 9, Tarom 14 & Hamadan1-5) were intermediate (with the average weight of 40 g). The number of clove in each bulb in class B was 6-11. Identification and assessment records revealed that 83 % of cultivars in class B are multi cloves related to owned areas that planted in the spring seasons such as Zanjan and Hamadan (cold regions). Our research demonstrated that normal bulbing in garlic can be done successfully in greenhouse depend on genotype. We identified 12 Iranian garlic genotypes for greenhouse planting which can produce normal and commercially multi cloves successfully. Other 26 genotypes that produced single clove were suitable for cooking usages due to easy skin peeling. Selection and introduce of suitable genotypes for greenhouse planting with normal bulbing, increase the garlic production in cold provinces and can serve in genetic and physiological studies as well as in breeding programs.