BIG NEWS FOR GARLIC

 

 

Contacts: David Stern: 1-315-587-9787 or Dr. Gayle Volk: 1-970-495-3205

2.14.06

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BIG NEWS FOR GARLIC - IN THE FIELD, AT THE LAB, AND ON THE TABLE

 

A new analysis of environmental effects on garlic types has been made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program and The Garlic Seed Foundation. The project aims to increase our knowledge of garlic diversity, culinary enjoyment, and profitability for sustainable garlic growers.

 

Key Project Leader and participating grower, David Stern, explains: "Most consumers and many vegetable farmers don't realize that there is more than one type of garlic. And even though there are more than 5,000 garlic farmers in the U.S., we do not yet know which varieties grow best in each region."

 

2003 DNA analysis concluded that while there are many cultivars of garlic, they can be classified into 10 major types based on their genetic diversity; these shall be grown in 5 northeast locations (ME, VT, PA, MD, NY) and 6 national sites (NV, MN, AR, WA, KY, CO). This 2 year project will look at the relationship between the garlic types and the climates, altitudes, soils, and cultural differences to determine yield and quality potential as well as culinary / medicinal properties.

 

If botany's your interest, this research is going to answer many questions about the relationships between each garlic types and environmental differences across the U.S. Through this research and the knowledge it gives us, we will increase the yield and quality and establish regional characteristics of garlic produced by market gardeners and small to medium scale farms.

 

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