Search Results (43)

Black garlic is a thermally processed product derived from fresh garlic through controlled high-temperature and -humidity conditions. During this process, the formation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), a potentially harmful byproduct, is a major quality and safety concern in food processing. This study systematically investigated the distributions of 5-HMF and key process-related biochemical components in black garlic samples from three major production regions in China—Jiangsu, Yunnan, and Shandong. Additionally, correlations between 5-HMF and biochemical components—reducing sugars, amino acids, and organic acids—were analyzed to inform process optimization strategies. Results showed significant regional variation in 5-HMF content, with Jiangsu black garlic exhibiting the highest levels, followed by Yunnan and Shandong (p < 0.05). Partial least squares regression analysis (PLSR) indicated that the key biochemical factors regulating 5-HMF accumulation are primarily organic acids. Among them, citric acid was identified as the most important negative regulator (VIP = 3.11). Although acetic acid (VIP = 1.38) and malic acid (VIP = 1.03) showed positive correlations with 5-HMF, aspartic acid (VIP = 0.41) and fructose (VIP = 0.43) exhibited a weak positive correlation, and arginine (VIP = 0.89) showed weak negative correlations, their effects were far less significant than that of citric acid. Based on these findings, we propose a potential strategy for reducing 5-HMF content in black garlic—selecting raw material cultivars with higher endogenous citric acid levels or exploring the exogenous addition and regulation of citric acid during processing. This study provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the accumulation mechanism of 5-HMF in black garlic and suggests new potential regulatory directions for controlling its content. Full article

Garlic (Allium sativum L.), a vital global crop, suffers significant losses from soil-borne fungal pathogens such as Fusarium proliferatum, responsible for Fusarium bulb rot, and Stromatinia cepivora, the causal agent of white rot. In May 2023, garlic fields near Makó City, Hungary, showed simultaneous yellowing and wilting symptoms of unknown fungal infestations, which appeared sporadically. The causal pathogens were later confirmed as F. proliferatum and S. cepivora through sampling of symptomatic garlic plants, incubation in humid chambers to stimulate fungal growth, and culturing on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) under sterile conditions. This was followed by hyphal tip isolation and purification. Molecular identification was performed using ITS1-2 sequencing, supported with morphological identification based on colony and microscopic features. This research aimed to elucidate pathogen interaction dynamics and assess the resistance of eleven garlic cultivars to both single and simultaneous inoculations by these pathogens, under in vitro and in planta tests. Dual culture assays of F. proliferatum and S. cepivora were studied at two time points: Day 8, marking the cessation of growth along the interacting fronts due to competitive coexistence, and Day 14, when single cultures reached full radial growth. On Day 8, inhibition percentages were 8.47% for F. proliferatum and 6.40% for S. cepivora, reflecting the initial effects of competitive interactions at the point of contact. By Day 14, inhibition rates increased to 25.39% and 28.61%, respectively, highlighting the cumulative effects of sustained competition and the growing difference between single and dual culture growth. Inoculation trials, involving placing fungal disks onto the basal areas of wounded garlic cloves, revealed considerable variability in disease incidence and severity. Cultivars such as ‘Aulxito’, ‘Sabadrome’, ‘Arno’, ‘Garcua’, and ‘Makói Tavaszi’ were highly susceptible to both pathogens, while ‘Flavor’ and ‘Sabagold’ exhibited only mild symptoms when inoculated with F. proliferatum and S. cepivora, respectively. Simultaneous inoculation resulted in more rapid and severe infections, exhibiting disease incidences above 96.00% across all cultivars. Remarkably, the cultivar ‘Elephant’ exhibited complete resistance to both pathogens, even under simultaneous inoculation, highlighting its potential for future garlic resistance breeding programs. Full article

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the oldest known useful plants, valued for thousands of years. This plant contains many biologically active compounds, including polyphenols, sterols, cysteine-sulfoxides, carbohydrates, proteins, and amino acids. The aim of our study was to compare the antioxidant potential, cytotoxicity, and apoptosis induction properties of four garlic cultivars—Harnaś, Ornak, Violeta, and Morado—in human squamous carcinoma (SCC-15) cells, colon adenocarcinoma (CACO-2) cells, and normal fibroblasts (BJ). Additionally, we investigated the mRNA and protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3A), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), and catalase (CAT) after treatment with the studied garlic extracts. Our study demonstrated that high ROS production was correlated with the strong toxicity of the garlic extracts. All studied extracts produced a lesser increase in ROS in normal BJ fibroblasts and were less toxic to these cells. The expression patterns of PPARγ, LC3A, SOD1, and CAT, along with chromatographic analysis, suggest differing mechanisms among the garlic cultivars. The highest levels of catechin, a known PPARγ agonist, were detected in the Harnaś (3.892 µg/mL) and Ornak (3.189 µg/mL) cultivars. A high catechin content was correlated with similar changes in PPARγ and related SOD1 and LC3A. Our findings showed the health-promoting and anticancer properties of garlic. However, we could not definitively identify which polyphenol or how it is involved in PPARγ activation. Further studies are required to elucidate the role of PPARγ in the mechanism of action of garlic extracts. Full article

Applying nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture can cause uncontrolled gas emissions, such as N₂O and CO_2, leading to global warming and serious climate changes. In this study, we evaluated the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) that are concomitant with applying different rates of N fertilization, i.e., 50, 75, 100, and 125% of the recommended dose (727 kg N ha⁻¹) for two cultivars (Balady and Sids-40) of Allium sativum L. grown under three planting dates (15 September, 1 October, and 15 October). For this purpose, two field experiments were carried out during the two growing seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. Treatments were arranged in a split–split plot design with three replicates: planting dates were set up in the main plots, nitrogen levels were conducted in the submain plots, and garlic varieties were in the sub-subplots. The obtained results can be summarized as follows: Planting on 15 September significantly increased vegetative growth parameters (i.e., plant height, leaves area, number of leaves plant⁻¹, and leaves dry weight) and total bulb yield, in both seasons. The application of the highest rate of N (125%) gave significantly higher records for vegetative growth parameters, while the 75% nitrogen treatment appeared to give the highest total bulb yield in both seasons. The means of plant growth characteristics and total bulb yield were significantly increased by the cultivation of the Balady cultivar. In addition, the results show that GHGs were positively correlated with increasing the rate of N fertilization. It could be recommended that planting on 15 September and fertilizing with 75% N fertilizer from the recommended dose for Balady cultivar achieve maximum yield and its components. Full article

Garlic is an important vegetable and condiment that has good medical and health care effects. At present, the origin of Chinese garlic and its association with other types of quality are limited to the molecular marker level, and there are few reports at the genome level. Therefore, this study is based on the specific length amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) of 102 copies of garlic germplasm resources, the group structure, and further screening of the core germplasm. SLAF-seq of 102 garlic cultivars yielded 1949.85 Mb of clean data and 526,432,275 SNPs. Through principal component analysis, evolutionary tree, population structure, and genetic relationship analysis, all garlic cultivars were divided into 3 groups. Among them, Group 1 contains 45 Chinese cultivars and 1 Egyptian cultivar, which are distributed mainly in the coastal and central areas of China. Group 2 contains 36 Chinese cultivars and 1 U.S. cultivar, which are distributed mainly in Northwest China. Group 3 contains 19 Chinese cultivars, which are distributed mainly in Xinjiang, China. The genetic diversity results indicate that the fixation index (Fst) values of Group 1 and Group 2 are lower than those of Group 1 and Group 3 and that the diversity of nucleotides (π) of Group 3 is greater than those of Group 2 and Group 1. Finally, the 30 parts of the cultivars were used as the core germplasms, and there was no difference between the two cultivars in terms of core quality. In summary, this study provides tags for the determination of garlic molecular markers and genotypes and provides a theoretical basis for subsequent resource protection and utilization, genetic positioning of important agronomic traits, and molecular marking agglomeration breeding. Full article

Olive knot disease, caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi, causes great damage in olive orchards. While control measures of P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi in olive orchards primarily rely on pruning and copper-based treatments, the use of antibiotics as bactericidal preparations in agriculture is limited and highly restricted. However, plants are naturally endowed with protective molecules, such as phenolic compounds, which defend them against herbivores, insects, and microorganisms. This research aimed to test the virulence of five strains of P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi isolated from different growing regions and olive varieties, and to examine whether there is a difference in plant susceptibility based on the variety. An additional goal was to test the antimicrobial activity of olive mill wastewater, known for its high content of phenolic compounds, and aqueous garlic hydrolysate, as well as to compare them with a commercial copper-based product, pure hydroxytyrosol, and a standard antibiotic as references. Analysis of knot characteristics showed variations in the virulence of the P. savastanoi pv. savastanoi strains, with the highest virulence being observed for the strain I7L and the lowest virulence for the strain B45C-PR. The olive cultivar Rosinjola displayed higher susceptibility compared to Frantoio, Buža, and Leccino, while cv. Istarska bjelica exhibited the least susceptibility compared to the other investigated olive cultivars. In an attempt to explore alternative solutions for disease control, in vitro tests revealed that the phenol HTyr, GE, and the wastewater with the highest total phenolic content (cv. Istarska bjelica) possess the highest antibacterial activity. This supports the role of polyphenols in host defense, aligning with previous field observations of lower susceptibility of cv. Istarska bjelica to olive knot disease. These findings highlight the complex nature of olive knot interactions with bacterial strains and olive cultivars, simultaneously accentuating and underscoring the importance of considering the host’s defenses as well as bacterial virulence in disease management strategies. Full article

The enhancement of the plant seed yield and quality represents the basis of the successful productivity of the deriving crop. The effect of single and combined foliar treatments of lettuce plants with sodium selenate and garlic bulb extract on seed yield and quality and on mature plant biochemical characteristics was investigated using four lettuce cultivars (Bouquet, Picnic, Moskovsky parnikovy and Cavalier). The seed production of plants treated with Se increased by 20–41%, compared to the untreated control plants, while the augmentation was as much as 10–23% and 17–27% under garlic extract and the joint application of Se and garlic, respectively. Garlic extract stimulated the accumulation of Se in lettuce seeds, which rose by 1.21–1.29 times compared to the Se-treated plants. The proline levels in lettuce seeds exceeded the corresponding values recorded in the control ones by 1.32–1.64 times in the case of the Se supply, 1.10–1.47 times upon garlic extract application and 1.09–1.31 times under the combined Se/garlic treatment. All the treatments given to lettuce plants increased the leaf weight by 1.10–1.30 times, compared to the untreated control. The seed Se levels positively correlated with the leaf weight (r = 0.621; p < 0.005), chlorophyll (r = 0.672, p < 0.002) and total antioxidant activity (AOA; r = 0.730, p < 0.001) of plants grown from these seeds. Positive correlations were also recorded between the seed proline content and lettuce plant leaf weight, chlorophyll and AOA (r = 0.868, 0.811 and 0.815, respectively, at p < 0.001). Lettuce yield was positively correlated with the leaf AOA, chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content (r = 0.942, 0.921 and 0.665, respectively, at p < 0.001). The results indicate high prospects of Na₂SeO₄ and garlic extract application to seed-addressed lettuce plants, to improve seed productivity and quality, as well as lettuce yield and quality. Full article

The Italian garlic ecotype “Vessalico” possesses distinct characteristics compared to its French parent cultivars Messidor and Messidrôme, used for sowing, as well as other ecotypes in neighboring regions. However, due to the lack of a standardized seed supply method and cultivation protocol among farmers in the Vessalico area, a need to identify garlic products that align with the Vessalico ecotype arises. In this study, an NMR-based approach followed by multivariate analysis to analyze the chemical composition of Vessalico garlic sourced from 17 different farms, along with its two French parent cultivars, was employed. Self-organizing maps allowed to identify a homogeneous subset of representative samples of the Vessalico ecotype. Through the OPLS-DA model, the most discriminant metabolites based on values of VIP (Variable Influence on Projections) were selected. Among them, S-allylcysteine emerged as a potential marker for distinguishing the Vessalico garlic from the French parent cultivars by NMR screening. Additionally, to promote sustainable agricultural practices, the potential of Vessalico garlic extracts and its main components as agrochemicals against Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, responsible for black rot disease, was explored. The crude extract exhibited a MIC of 125 μg/mL, and allicin demonstrated the highest activity among the tested compounds (MIC value of 31.25 μg/mL). Full article

In this study, the physical properties of garlic just before collection were investigated, and garlic-collecting conditions are presented as basic data of design factors that can be utilized during the development of garlic collectors. The physical properties were subdivided into geometrical properties and mechanical properties, and the ecotype of garlic was divided into CSG (cold-season garlic) and WSG (warm-season garlic). Geometrical properties were compared between CSG and WSG by measuring the average weight, length, width, number of kernels, volume, and density of each cultivar, and WSG showed higher geometrical properties in all geometrical properties. In addition, there was garlic on the incomplete side of WSG, and shape non-uniformity was higher than that of CSG. There was no significant difference in the average Poisson’s ratio of mechanical properties. In the case of the modulus of elasticity, Namdo cultivars showed the lowest value at 15.52 MPa. The average allowable compressive stress measured using Hooke’s law was the lowest in the Uiseong cultivar (204.33 kPa) and the highest in the Danyang cultivar (376.42 kPa). The static friction coefficients among the four different materials by cultivar exhibited a commonality of being highest in aluminum and generally lowest in plastic. It is expected that the design of the garlic collector will be carried out in consideration of garlic when developing it using up-to-date physical properties of garlic just before collection. Full article

Plant extracts are getting attention for their sterilizing, growth-promoting properties in the agricultural field. No exception exists when it comes to the treatment of propagating material with these natural components. Plant extracts may have complex compositions which affect plants or seeds in a positive way. However, they could also cause negative effects, like decreased germination, secondary metabolite contents or biomass gain. As the agricultural field requires sustainable techniques for plant growth and quality assurance in production, it is important to evaluate the potential effects of every alternative natural compound that shows promise for future plant treatment. Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a popular spice crop grown in various regions of the world. Therefore, our study focused on an investigation of the early physiological and biochemical changes in garlic cloves (cv. ‘Jarus’ and ‘Vasariai’) treated with Thymus vulgaris essential oil and Syzygium aromaticum extract. Experiments were carried out in controlled climate conditions, in which the treated cloves were kept for four weeks. Results show that S. aromaticum extract increased germination in cv. ‘Jarus’ compared to untreated garlic cloves. Meanwhile, T. vulgaris caused lower germination of both cultivars compared to untreated cloves. None of the extracts increased biomass gain in garlic cloves. ABTS antioxidant activity was decreased by both extracts in cv. ‘Jarus’ (~7–47%) and ‘Vasariai’ (~22–32%) compared to untreated garlic cloves. Antioxidant DPPH and FRAP activities were ~6–11% and ~14–15% higher after ‘Vasariai’ treatment with extracts. Meanwhile, in ‘Jarus’ only, S. aromaticum extract caused an increase in DPPH and FRAP antioxidant activities. The elemental content was the highest in garlic cloves treated with T. vulgaris essential oil. Total phenolic compounds (TPC) and flavonoids (TF) were 1.2 times higher after S. aromaticum treatment of ‘Jarus’ compared to untreated cloves, while slightly increased TPC and two times higher TF values were found after treatment with T. vulgaris. Around 10% higher TPC and 1.5–3 times lower TF values were observed after the plant extract treatment of ‘Vasariai’ garlic cloves. Our study demonstrates initial changes in garlic cloves dependent on the plant extract treatment and cultivar. This provides important information for the future utilization of such technology, either alone or in combination with others. Full article

Ditylenchus dipsaci is a plant-parasitic nematode with a great economic impact on bulbous crops, including garlic (Allium sativum L.), and is distributed worldwide, particularly in the Mediterranean region. Traditionally, garlic was a rainfed crop in Spain, but irrigated areas have increased during the last few decades. However, the expected climatic conditions, with longer and more intense droughts, will make it necessary to reduce the water supply to garlic crops. This poses the urgent need to select garlic cultivars more tolerant to water scarcity and that are also more resistant to plant pathogenic organisms. The aim of this work was to analyze the influence of water stress on the host response of garlic plants to D. dipsaci. The specific objectives were to evaluate the level of nematode infestation in plants from four garlic genotypes treated with a reduced irrigation regime and compare them with those of control plants not subjected to water stress. The observed results were correlated with changes in the bulb and root development, as well as in the physiological parameters (total chlorophyll concentration and proline accumulation). The effects were different depending on whether the plants were subjected to water stress before or after nematode inoculation, as well as whether the water stress was continuous or discontinuous. Garlic inter-cultivar variability also affected the obtained results. Full article

Garlic is commonly used as vegetable or spice and as a herb in folklore as well as traditional medicine in many countries. The current study aimed to compare the chemical composition, antioxidant activity, and the content of selected polyphenolic compounds in cloves as well as leaves of winter garlic plants of the Harnaś and Ornak cultivars, which are of Polish origin. Garlic was grown from cloves for three years (2018–2020) in the experimental field of the University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland. The research material was harvested on three dates: May; June, unripe garlic plants; and in July, the plant at full maturity. The content of vitamin C in the fresh material was determined. The proximate analysis was determined in the freeze-dried plants of garlic, and the total carbohydrate content was calculated. The antioxidant activity and the content of selected polyphenolic compounds were also determined. Garlic cloves showed a higher content of dry matter, and total carbohydrates than the leaves of garlic plants. On the other hand, in the leaves, a significantly higher content of protein, total fat and ash were observed. Additionally, garlic leaves were characterised by a higher content of vitamin C, total polyphenols, and a higher antioxidant activity than garlic cloves. The leaves of young garlic plants from the May harvest were distinguished by a higher content of these compounds. The dominant phenolic compounds were catechin and epicatechin. The leaves of young plants can be a valuable source of bioactive substances, especially in early spring. Full article

Pomegranate production in Afghanistan is increasing remarkably, but nursery services are lacking, leading to inconsistent growth and low rooting percentages in cuttings. Hence, this research was conducted at the greenhouse of Nangarhar University, Faculty of Agriculture, to investigate the efficacy of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and organic materials, namely banana, garlic, aloe vera, and panchagavya, as rooting promoters on cuttings of the ideal seedless pomegranate cultivar (Bedana). The cuttings were derived from one-year-old dormant branches in mid-February of 2023. The findings indicated that panchagavya and aloe vera significantly (p < 0.05) accelerated the sprouting process of pomegranate cuttings, resulting in 100% rooting, while IBA showed a delayed initiation of sprouting. In contrast, banana had a detrimental effect on the sprouting of the cuttings. IBA and organic materials, except banana and garlic, significantly influenced all the shoot parameters. Among the treatments, panchagavya (21.1%), IBA (23.4%), and aloe vera (26.8%) demonstrated the highest number of shoots per cutting compared to the control. A consistent soil plant analysis development (SPAD) pattern was observed across treatments, positively correlating with shoot and root parameters (range, r = 0.30–0.97). The application of organic materials significantly (p < 0.05) impacted root length, acrobasal roots, root diameter, total root length, and root fresh weight. However, banana and garlic yielded contrasting results in most of these parameters. In conclusion, aloe vera and panchagavya are found to be more suitable for propagating pomegranates through cuttings, making them excellent alternatives to IBA for nurserymen and companies. Full article

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a popular condiment used as both medicine and food. Garlic production in China is severely affected by continuous cropping and is especially affected by leaf blight disease. Garlic is sterile, so it is very important to develop specialized genotypes, such as those for disease resistance, nutritional quality, and plant architecture, through genetic modification and innovation. In this experiment, we applied the induction method using EMS to mutate garlic cloves of cultivar G024. From the mutations, 5000 M₀ mutants were generated and planted in the field. Then, 199 M₁ mutant lines were screened according to growth potential and resistance to leaf blight. From M₂ to M₃, 169 generational lines were selected that grew well and were resistant to leaf blight in the field. Thereafter, their resistance to leaf blight was further analyzed in the lab; 21 lines resistant to leaf blight that had good growth potential were identified, among which 3 mutants were significantly different, and these were further screened. Also, transcriptome analysis of two mutants infected with Pleospora herbarum, A150 and G024, was performed, and the results revealed 2026 and 4678 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. These DEGs were highly enriched in hormone signaling pathway, plant–pathogen interaction, and MAPK signaling pathway. Therefore, the results provide a theoretical and technical basis for the creation of garlic germplasm resistant to leaf blight. Full article

Dehydration-responsive element-binding (DREB) transcription factors (TFs) of the A1 and A2 subfamilies involved in plant stress responses have not yet been reported in Allium species. In this study, we used bioinformatics and comparative transcriptomics to identify and characterize DREB A1 and A2 genes redundant in garlic (Allium sativum L.) and analyze their expression in A. sativum cultivars differing in the sensitivity to cold and Fusarium infection. Eight A1 (AsaDREB1.1–1.8) and eight A2 (AsaDREB2.1–2.8) genes were identified. AsaDREB1.1–1.8 genes located in tandem on chromosome 1 had similar expression patterns, suggesting functional redundancy. AsaDREB2.1–2.8 were scattered on different chromosomes and had organ- and genotype-specific expressions. AsaDREB1 and AsaDREB2 promoters contained 7 and 9 hormone- and stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements, respectively, and 13 sites associated with TF binding and plant development. In both Fusarium-resistant and -sensitive cultivars, fungal infection upregulated the AsaDREB1.1–1.5, 1.8, 2.2, 2.6, and 2.8 genes and downregulated AsaDREB2.5, but the magnitude of response depended on the infection susceptibility of the cultivar. Cold exposure strongly upregulated the AsaDREB1 genes, but downregulated most AsaDREB2 genes. Our results provide the foundation for further functional analysis of the DREB TFs in Allium crops and could contribute to the breeding of stress-tolerant varieties. Full article