Increased profits for sustainably produced garlic

Objective 1) Correlate the yield of 10 distinct garlic cultivars with location, inputs, quality, and chemical composition data. The effects of environmental and geographical conditions on garlic bulb yield, quality, and chemical composition were determined. We identified consistent, environmentally-independent, descriptive characters that can be used to identify 10 garlic types. We selected one cultivar from each garlic type to represent the spectrum of genetic diversity: Porcelain, Purple stripe, Marble purple stripe, Glazed purple stripe, Rocambole, Silverskin, Creole, Asiatic, Artichoke, and Turban.
Year 1: Bulbs of 10 garlic types were purchased for all growers from a common source. Using sustainable practices, all of the growers will produce 10 varieties in three completely randomized, replicate test plots with 16 plants per plot. Growers recorded all amendment applications, human interventions (irrigation events, scape removal methods, weeding and pest control measures), and collected data on leaf architecture, scape emergence, flowering date and description, and harvest date. They also photographed the plants at specific stages of development, and provided soil, compost, and irrigation water samples at two pre-determined times during the growing season for soil and water quality tests. Regional weather data was collected from local weather stations. After the growing season, each participant shipped 12 of the cured garlic bulbs from each replicate plot to the PI for uniform data collection yield (bulb wt, bulb circumference, clove number, clove wt), and wrapper color. Sulfur content and antioxidant levels were determined for each variety from each location. “Genotype by environment” statistical analyses were performed to correlate the known genetic variation within and among the chosen accessions with the quantitative data.
Year 2: Planting will be performed using cloves of each of the same 10 varieties harvested from that grower’s field during Year 1 of the project. Data were collected and analyzed as described for Year 1.

Objective 2) Increase public awareness of garlic diversity. It is critical that the results of this study are made available to consumers, extension personnel, researchers, consultants as well as current and new garlic growers. Consumers have a great interest and curiosity in garlic (50,000 people attend the Hudson Valley Garlic Festival annually). Our outreach plan had high publicity for our research project as well as the NE-SARE program. We developed a website and digital press package to illustrate the diversity of high quality garlic to attract consumers and growers to the sustainable, varietal garlic market. Results were (and will continue to be) disseminated through gardening and cooking magazines, scientific publications, newsletters (Garlic Press, circ. 1200), and ATTRA, agricultural papers and reports, and outreach presentations at agricultural workshops, conferences and festivals.

Objective 3) Develop name recognition for selected varietal garlics. Product recognition (such as with Vidalia onions) occurs when there is a critical mass of growers producing an appealing variety. With this, demand for product increases dramatically. With name recognition, regional cultivar recommendations can be provided to growers. We are preparing additional press materials to aid in the advertisement of regional varietal garlics. We also have information available on our project website. It has been determined that the adoption of recognized names for varietal garlics occur several years.

Objective 4) Attract new growers to this profitable niche commodity. U.S. consumption of garlic has increased 6-fold in the past 15 years. When available, local, fresh-market sustainably grown garlic easily outsells industrially produced, imported garlic. Garlic is a crop that can be successfully grown in both rural communities and urban gardens. It requires no elaborate equipment to produce a quality crop. Most varieties of garlic can be successfully stored for at least five months after harvest at room temperature, which extends marketing options. When diverse family farms remain intact, local community businesses that depend on their support will survive. The social impact of family farms in America is critical to maintaining viable rural communities. Garlic production will continue to expand to meet the increasing demands. New farmers entering the fresh vegetable market industry will produce garlic. The growth of CSAs will drive additional garlic production, since every CSA provides garlic as a vegetable selection.