Novel NARC-G1 garlic: comparative allicin quantification with morpho-biochemical & genetic profiling

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Biotechnology
• Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

• Garlic (Allium sativum) is a vital food crop with significant medicinal value.
• Medicinal properties are linked to organosulphur compounds, influenced by various factors.
• Understanding genetic and phenotypic variations is crucial for optimizing garlic production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the novel garlic variety NARC-G1 with existing cultivars.
• To evaluate phenotypic characteristics, allicin content, elemental profile, and gene polymorphism.
• To determine the potential of NARC-G1 for commercial and industrial use.

Main Methods:

• Phenotypic analysis of bulb and clove characteristics.
• Quantification of allicin content.
• Elemental profiling.
• Genotyping of the alliinase gene to identify polymorphisms.

Main Results:

• NARC-G1 exhibited significantly higher bulb weight, clove weight, and clove width.
• NARC-G1 demonstrated the highest allicin content among the tested cultivars.
• Gene analysis revealed unique indels in the alliinase gene of NARC-G1.

Conclusions:

• NARC-G1 possesses distinct attributes making it superior to other cultivars.
• The variety is suitable for mass production with appropriate management.
• NARC-G1 offers potential economic benefits for Pakistan through domestic cultivation.