A Review on Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Breeding Advances and Achievements Globally
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i5.1426-1435.8506Keywords:
Breeding , Clonal selection , Garlic , Genetic engineering , Molecular markersAbstract
Garlic (Allium sativum L., 2n = 16) is a globally significant edible bulb crop valued for its culinary, nutritional, and medicinal properties. However, its genetic improvement has been constrained by predominant vegetative propagation and widespread sterility, which limit sexual reproduction and narrow genetic base. Consequently, conventional breeding has achieved limited progress in yield, quality, and stress tolerance. This review summarizes global advances in garlic breeding, encompassing traditional approaches such as clonal selection, mutation breeding, and polyploidy induction, alongside modern biotechnological strategies including micropropagation, genetic transformation, and genomic tools. Biotechnological methods have been instrumental in generating genetic diversity through somaclonal variation, mutation induction, and tissue culture-based regeneration, leading to achievements in herbicide tolerance, pest and disease resistance, and the development of improved cultivars. Molecular markers and DNA fingerprinting techniques (RAPD, AFLP, SSR) have further enhanced germplasm characterization, phylogenetic analysis, identification of fertile genotypes, and resistance screening. A major breakthrough has been the discovery of fertile garlic lines and the fertility-restoring gene AsaNRF1, which opens opportunities for true seed-based breeding and hybrid development. Despite these advances, optimization of tissue culture and genetic transformation protocols remains essential to improve regeneration efficiency and facilitate genome editing. Future research should focus on expanding fertile germplasm, refining regeneration systems, and integrating genomic selection with phenomics to accelerate genetic gains and ensure sustainable garlic production worldwide.
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