Present status and future prospects of garlic (Allium sativum L.) improvement in India with special reference to long day type

Abstract

Garlic is grown throughout the world but the crop invariably suffers from productivity lower than its potential, owing to several inherent and extrinsic factors, especially in developing countries like India. The objectives of garlic improvement, thus, should be induction of sterility, creation of variability and molecular elucidation of genome for breeding superior cultivars adapted to different agro-climatic environments; and establishment of effective biotic and abiotic stress management and post harvest practices adoptable by resource poor farmers and suitable for sustained ecological well being. In Indian context, the improvement and cultivation of long day type garlic needs to be encouraged to commensurate with world leaders in production. Therefore, this review has been attempted to bring together the achievements made in garlic research in India and elsewhere, and their possible applications in attaining desired productivity and quality in both short and long day types.