A scientist at the National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock (INIFAP) obtained three new varieties of garlic for export through a genetic improvement via an individual selection project.
The project allowed Luis Martin Macias Valdez, a researcher from INIFAP's Vegetable Program, to increase the performance of garlic by up to 18 or 19 tons per hectare in Aguascalientes.
To develop the study, Macias collected garlic varieties with improved characteristics to test in the experimental field.
He also stated that they planted the bulbs independently, leaving a space between them to avoid dependencies between them so they could record their behavior.
In an interview with the News Agency of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT), the specialist said this had allowed them to generate different garlic diversities after nine years of evaluation.
"Normally it takes six years to generate an improved variety. It took us nine years because of the type of garlic and the weather conditions we were working with," he said.
"We registered it before the Examination Committee of Plant Varieties, which is part of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), and they acknowledged it was an improved variety," he added.
So far, the researchers have been able to improve three varieties of garlic: two of which are from the Pearl variety, the San Marqueño and Orion garlic, while the other variety, which was called the Diamante garlic, is of the California variety.
The specialist said these had better yields than the commercial varieties, as they have 30 percent more quality, which is given by the number of cloves per bulb, color and shape.
Macías added that the Diamante garlic had a longer shelf life, but a disadvantage was that it had a high number of cloves.
He stressed that the method they had used was exclusive to Aguascalientes, because the materials they used primarily adapted to this region because of the garlic's sensitivity to climate.
"The white garlic we are working on are only for this area, the northern part of the state, mainly for Pabellon de Arteaga, Rincon de Romos, Cosio, and Tepezalá, and it can be adapted to some parts south of Zacatecas" he added.
Source: Notimex