Recent Advances in Sexual Propagation and Breeding of Garlic

Wild Allium longicuspis Regel is a Feral Form of Allium sativum L. in Kazakhstan: A Comparative Molecular Genetic Analysis

“…In conclusion, our results confirm the findings of previous researchers (Shemesh-Mayer and Kamenetsky Goldstein, 2018;Etoh and Ogura, 1984;Hong, 1999) that A. longicuspis is no different from cultivated garlic and should be considered as feral A. sativum. Since the populations of feral garlic demonstrate distinctive molecular signatures from studied garlic varieties, they are a natural reservoir of the genetic diversity of old local garlic forms that have survived in nature.…”

“…This is an important issue as it affects garlic cultivation and horticulture, particularly in the selection of desirable and economically valuable traits. It has been suggested, on the one hand, that the wild long-pointed onion A. longicupis is ancestral to A. sativum, the cultivated garlic (Shemesh-Mayer and Kamenetsky Goldstein, 2018;POWO, 2020;Vvedensky, 1935;Etoh and Ogura, 1984;Pooler and Simon, 1993;Mathew, 1996), while, on the other hand, it is possible that A. longicupis is a wild form of cultivated garlic (Vavilov, 1966;Hong, 1999;Fritsch and Friesen, 2002;Etoh and Simon, 2002). The use of molecular genetic techniques offers a solution to this question.…”

“…The natural populations of the wild race of Allium sativum, the long-pointed onion (Allium longicuspis), like cultivated garlic, do not form seeds. Fertile seeds of garlic can only be obtained experimentally (Kamenetsky et al, 2004;2007;Shemesh-Mayer and Kamenetsky Goldstein, 2018). A. longicuspis is practically indistinguishable from garlic (A. sativum) and is currently considered as a synonym for garlic (Shemesh-Mayer and Kamenetsky Goldstein, 2018;Maaß and Klaas, 1995;POWO, 2020).…”

“…Fertile seeds of garlic can only be obtained experimentally (Kamenetsky et al, 2004;2007;Shemesh-Mayer and Kamenetsky Goldstein, 2018). A. longicuspis is practically indistinguishable from garlic (A. sativum) and is currently considered as a synonym for garlic (Shemesh-Mayer and Kamenetsky Goldstein, 2018;Maaß and Klaas, 1995;POWO, 2020). When the wild plants are cultured, they grow rapidly and increase considerably in size.…”

“…Unfortunately, the real wild ancestor of cultivated garlic has not yet been found. It is assumed that the transition to vegetative reproduction was caused by the selection of cultivated garlic (Shemesh-Mayer and Kamenetsky Goldstein, 2018;Kamenetsky et al, 2005;.…”