Evaluation of Garlic Landraces from Foggia Province (Puglia Region; Italy)

Abstract

<jats:p>Interest in local landraces has unfortunately decreased over, the last decades, in which they have been continuously subjected to a high genetic erosion in favour of new modern varieties. Within the Puglia region (S-E Italy), Foggia province was found to be the richest in vegetable landraces. In the present study, six garlic landraces collected from this area have been assessed for their chemical composition (minerals, organic acids, free sugars, volatile, and phenolic compounds) along with their main morpho-biometrical traits. A commercial genotype was also considered as a reference standard. The landraces show a large variability, but in general high morphological standards, high levels of cations and phenols, and low levels of volatile-(S)-compounds in comparison with the commercial genotype and the literature values. ‘Aglio di Peschici’ and ‘Aglio Rosso di Monteleone di Puglia’ are very rich in minerals and phenols (mainly ferulic acid and iso-rhamnetin). This increase in knowledge on the chemical properties of these garlic landraces could represent a tool for encouraging the consumption of a food product. At the same time, the consumption of these landraces would stimulate their cultivation and could highly contribute to protection against the risk of erosion of agro-biodiversity by their in situ/on-farm conservation.</jats:p>

Vitamins and Minerals in Four Traditional Garlic Ecotypes (Allium sativum L.) from Italy: An Example of Territorial Biodiversity

“…The data showed that potassium (K) was the highest mineral detected, ranging from 645 mg/100 g d.w. of Bianco Piacentino produced in Alvito, to 1057 mg/100 g d.w. of Rosso di Sulmona grown in the same area. These values were comparable to those reported by Bonasia [53], but lower than those reported by Hacıseferogulları, et al [57], on a Turkish garlic variety (21,378.84 mg/Kg). The statistical analysis (Table 3) revealed that the cultivar, the geographical area, and the interaction between these variables affected the K content, probably reflecting the high exchangeable K value in Viterbo soil (Table 2).…”

“…Despite the importance of knowledge of close linkage between the nutritional profile of local products and territory and cultivation practices [52], food composition data on Italian-specific landraces are still scarce, and studies are incomplete, especially regarding information on the amounts of vitamins. The identification and highlighting of the chemical properties of the landraces compared with "commercial" varieties may represent an added value of the product to better address the consumer preference [27,53] and stimulate cultivation, thus contributing to the protection of this biodiversity by promoting its conservation [53]. The valorization of the typical products by identifying and evaluating nutritional quality and safety characteristics represents an important goal for the preservation of local ecosystems [52,53].…”

Nutritional Value and Phytochemical Content of Crop Landraces and Traditional Varieties

“…Other authors also reported 10 indeterminate tomato landraces that exhibited significantly higher AA contents than the commercial variety 'Moneymaker' [29]. In analyses of the AA content in accessions of garlic (Allium sativum L.) from Plugia region (Italy), the six landraces evaluated had a higher content than the commercial cultivar used as reference [43]. Higher contents of total vitamin C have also been obtained in grains of the mungbean landrace VI000323 B-G from Taiwan [31], in the Greek onion (Allium cepa L.) landrace Vatikiotiko [44] and in two rare landraces of Italian turnip (Brassica rapa L. subspecies rapa) [45] when compared with commercial and improved varieties.…”

“…An Ecuadorian landrace of sweet potato showed the highest content in two particular anthocyanins (peonidin and cyaniding glucosides) when compared with several improved varieties [34]. Regarding phenolic acids and flavonoids, significant higher contents were observed in landraces of mungbean [9], garlic [43], and apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) [72], in comparison with improved lines and commercial varieties.…”

Screening, Identification, and Quantification of Nutritional Components and Phytochemicals in Foodstuffs

“…Bonasia et al [ 5 ] assessed the chemical composition (minerals, organic acids, free sugars, volatile, and phenolic compounds) of six garlic landraces collected from Puglia Region (Foggia Province) along with their main morpho-biometrical traits. A commercial genotype was also considered as a reference standard.…”