Morphological characterisation and volatile analysis of Turkish garlic genotypes

Garlic is one of the most important vegetables and used for nutrient and medicinal purposes since ancient times. Deficiency in the detection of high-quality garlic genotypes with a rich biochemical profile is one of the main constraints in limiting the production. Currently, the selection and identification of promising garlic genotypes is a popular target, and to reach the best results it is necessary to clarify discrimination. This study aims to discriminate the garlic genotypes obtained from different cultivation locations in Turkey. For that purpose, firstly, morphological characters including biometric parameters were measured based on 18 morphological traits. Particular correlations related to the biometric parameters were calculated. Secondly, a total of 41 main volatiles in the bulbs of garlic genotypes were identified by using headspace-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Multivariate discriminant analyses including two-way hierarchical clustering analyses (HCA) and canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) were used to identify dependencies between garlic genotypes and to distinguish the differences based on volatiles among genotypes. There proved to be significant variability in the Turkish genotypes for the morphologic descriptors and the results suggest that besides cultivation area, environmental conditions affect the formation of differentiation in garlic genotypes. Multivariate analysis revealed two main groups, and variation in volatiles within genotypes was important. The closest relationship was determined in the genotypes collected from Araban (district of Gaziantep), Kahramanmaras, and Yavuzeli (district of Gaziantep) region of Turkey based on the volatiles. The results of volatiles also indicate that the genotypes collected from Kilis, Kastamonu, and Tokat provinces of Turkey could be potential for a promising source related to volatile compounds. The current study established a foundation for the assessment of Turkish garlic genotypes for using in a breeding program and promoting commercialization.