Contents of micro- and macroelements and the biochemical composition of garlic (Allium sativum L.) genotypes

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a plant species of cultural and medicinal importance, in addition to which it is consumed globally as a very nutritious and healthy food ingredient. This study compared the micro- and macro-element content, phenolic compounds, and protein content in several local garlic genotypes from varied regions of Turkey, and from China and Iran. Mineral contents were analyzed including macro- and micro-elements, total phenolics, and proteins. In this regard, genotype 2 contributed significantly to the total phenolic content, having a value of 7359.05 mg kg-1. Similarly, a high total phenolic content of 3685.44 mg kg-1 was recorded in genotype 5, which also had a high protein share, 4.20%, and was rich in potassium (K), 6078.09, and calcium (Ca), 1912.74 mg kg-1. Both the hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) displayed clear groupings among the genotypes with respect to biochemical and mineral compositions. The high amounts of nitrogen (N) and manganese (Mn) constituents in genotype 1 and balanced levels in the phenolic and protein content in genotype 3 proved their promising nutritional value. Genotype 4, with lesser calcium (Ca) and iron (Fe), had a moderate level of phenolics and protein. This work underlines the importance of genetic diversity for nutritional and bioactive compounds in garlic. These findings may be useful regarding farming technique improvements, aiming at the selection of high-quality genotypes to improve the value of harvested yield through breeding. These results must be confirmed by further studies in which more genotypes are tested in various environmental conditions. Such a critical evaluation underlines the importance of the conservation of genetic resources as well as improvement of farming techniques for obtaining high nutritional quality and yield.