Evaluation the Growth Performance of Egyptian Garlic Landraces and In vitro Synseeds of Bulblets Formation

Abstract

Egyptian garlic cultivars suffered degenerations; lower bulb yield and smaller size of bulbs which represent a crucialproblem. A survey of some Egyptian landraces to detect there genetic diversity is considered in this study . In addition,developing of simple method for bulblets regeneration and synthetic seed formation to decrease amount of clove seeds.Fourteen vegetative growth and bulb characteristics for 27 Egyptian garlic landraces were measured during two growingseason to determine the phenotypic variations under condition of New Borg El-Arab, Egypt . An in vitro study was, also,carried out to determine the direct shoot induction and bulblets formation for six selected landraces and under three mediaprotocol. The results of the field experiment revealed that, Significant differences among all studied local cultivars andecotypes of Egyptian garlic were observed for vegetative growth, bulb and total yield characteristics . Among the studiedvarieties of Egyptian landraces, Borg El-Arab landrace was superior in vegetative growth as plant height (cm), leaves no./plant, leaf length (cm), leaf width (mm), plant fresh weight (g) and foliage fresh weight (g). While, quality characters wereassociated with purple bulbs landraces like Egaseed and Sids-40-Ayat. Bulb dry matter percentage ranged from 36.6 to45.68 % and from 35.07 to 44.89 % however, average cloves number per bulb was ranged from 9.33 to 40.00 and from3.55 to 32.71 in the first and second growing seasons, respectively. The results for the invitro experiment revealed thatefficient and simple method of bulblets regeneration and improving multiplication rate were developed for six selectedlandraces using three different media. Garlic explants (cultured on MS media) were supplemented with 6 % sucrose and 2mg/l JA (T-3); produced significant higher mean values for numbers of bulblets /clove (12.61) and higher insignificantmean values for numbers of shoots and bulblets /explant, bulblets formation % and numbers of bulblets per clovecompared with control treatment (T-1). Control treatment (T-1) produced the highest significant average bulblet weight(259.72 mg). Salaqus-3 landrace was superior and gave the highest significant mean values for number of shoots perexplant and bulblets per clove compared with other landraces. Clone-21 produced the highest bulblet weight (232.94mg). Synthetic seeds for six garlic landraces formed by immersing bulblets in gel matrix (3% sodium alginate solution),and exposure to calcium chloride solution (2.5 %) were germinated successfully in unsterilized soil mixture consisted ofpeatmoss, sand and soil (1:1:1). Conclusion: Egyptian garlic landraces showed great variability and a promising in vitroperformance for plant regeneration and bulblets formation. This finding could be used as alternative propagation method,cultivars rejuvenation and germplasm conversation management along with capsulation technology.