Winter hardiness of winter garlic accessions and its relationship with their economic characters in West Siberia

Abstract

Winter garlic (Allium sativum L.) is one of the most important crops widely used in the food industry, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetology. In West Siberia, with its sharply continental climate, garlic growing is associated with certain difficulties due to severe winters, temperature fluctuations, and a short growing season. In the process of plant selective breeding and improving varietal diversity, the analysis of local forms of winter garlic is of particular importance that allows identifying the most valuable genotypes adapted to the growing conditions. Winter hardiness in Siberian conditions is a priority character that is necessarily taken into account during the plant breeding process; its relationship with other indices is also important. In this regard, the research goal was to evaluate the winter hardiness of winter garlic accessions and determine its relationship with their economic characters in West Siberia. The research objectives were as following: to evaluate winter garlic forms by winter hardiness; to identify the statistical relationship between winter hardiness and other economic characters; to select valuable accessions adapted to the growing conditions. Based on the research findings, the forms 06-22, 07-22, 08-22, 09-22 and TM-22 were identified with winter hardiness of 98.7-99.8% and survival rate of 98.1-99.7%. These forms will be used in further plant breeding programs aimed at increasing the resistance of winter garlic to adverse environmental factors. Correlation analysis is used for more effective breeding work. Positive correlation is observed between winter hardiness, yielding capacity, and bulb weight (r = 0.805). Bulb diameter shows significant positive correlation with winter hardiness (r = 0.725). The number of cloves shows weak negative correlation with winter hardiness (r = -0.128). Plant height is virtually unrelated to winter hardiness (r = 0.090) suggesting a lack of direct relationship between these characters.