Alicandri Enrica, De Santis Diana, Modesti Margherita, Ferri Serena, Paolacci Anna Rita, Rea Roberto, Ciaffi Mario
Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest Systems (DIBAF), University of Tuscia, Via San Camillo De Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
ARSIAL, Regional Agency for the Development and the Innovation of Lazio Agriculture, Via Rodolfo Lanciani 38, 00162 Rome, Italy.
Plants (Basel). 2025 Apr 11;14(8):1189. doi: 10.3390/plants14081189.
Garlic ( L.) is the second most significant species within the genus worldwide, widely used in cooking and both traditional and modern medicine due to its beneficial biological and therapeutic properties. In Italy, diverse pedo-climatic conditions and historical-cultural fragmentation have led to the development of various garlic landraces, prized for their unique organoleptic qualities and cultural importance. This study aimed to assess the intra-varietal diversity and uniqueness of two red garlic landraces from the Lazio region in central Italy, "Aglio Rosso di Castelliri" and "Aglio Rosso di Proceno", using SSR and ISSR molecular markers, along with evaluations of bulb morphological traits, total phenolic content, and antioxidant properties. The molecular analysis included 11 accessions of "Aglio Rosso di Castelliri", nine of "Aglio Rosso di Proceno", and 15 control accessions, comprising eight Italian red-type garlic landraces, four Spanish red garlic commercial varieties, two white garlic accessions, and an accession of var. used as an outgroup. SSR and ISSR markers revealed moderate genetic diversity within the collection, with mean PIC values of 0.41 and 0.17, respectively. The molecular data identified four distinct genetic clusters, with the two Lazio landraces forming separate groups, indicating their genetic distinctiveness. The results from the STRUCTURE analysis support the hypothesis that these landraces may have originated from the widely cultivated "Aglio Rosso di Sulmona" or a common ancestral population once prevalent in central Italy. The study also revealed significant intra-population genetic diversity within the two garlic landraces, underscoring the need for in situ conservation and clonal selection. Phenotypic evaluations confirmed the distinctiveness of the two landraces, with "Aglio Rosso di Castelliri" characterized by smaller bulbs and cloves with higher dry matter content and distinct color profiles. Additionally, significant variation in total phenolic content and antioxidant activity was observed by analyzing 13 selected accessions from the two landraces (six from "Aglio Rosso di Proceno" and seven from "Aglio Rosso di Castelliri") and five red garlic control accessions, with the two Lazio landraces exhibiting higher levels than the control group. This study highlights the importance of integrating molecular, phenotypic, and chemical analyses to understand garlic landrace diversity, with significant implications for their conservation and protection of local agro-food products.
大蒜（L.）是全球该属中第二重要的物种，因其有益的生物学和治疗特性而广泛用于烹饪以及传统医学和现代医学。在意大利，多样的土壤气候条件和历史文化碎片化导致了各种大蒜地方品种的发展，这些品种因其独特的感官品质和文化重要性而备受珍视。本研究旨在利用SSR和ISSR分子标记，以及对鳞茎形态特征、总酚含量和抗氧化特性的评估，来评估意大利中部拉齐奥地区的两个红蒜地方品种“Aglio Rosso di Castelliri”和“Aglio Rosso di Proceno”的品种内多样性和独特性。分子分析包括11份“Aglio Rosso di Castelliri”材料、9份“Aglio Rosso di Proceno”材料以及15份对照材料，对照材料包括8个意大利红蒜类型的地方品种、4个西班牙红蒜商业品种、2个白蒜材料以及1份用作外类群的var.材料。SSR和ISSR标记显示该收集群体内具有中等遗传多样性，平均PIC值分别为0.41和0.17。分子数据确定了四个不同的遗传簇，两个拉齐奥地方品种形成了单独的组，表明它们在遗传上具有独特性。STRUCTURE分析结果支持这样的假设，即这些地方品种可能起源于广泛种植的“Aglio Rosso di Sulmona”或曾经在意大利中部普遍存在的一个共同祖先群体。该研究还揭示了这两个大蒜地方品种内显著的群体内遗传多样性，强调了原地保护和克隆选择的必要性。表型评估证实了这两个地方品种的独特性，“Aglio Rosso di Castelliri”的特点是鳞茎和蒜瓣较小，干物质含量较高，颜色特征独特。此外，通过分析来自这两个地方品种的13个选定材料（6个来自“Aglio Rosso di Proceno”，7个来自“Aglio Rosso di Castelliri”）和5个红蒜对照材料，观察到总酚含量和抗氧化活性存在显著差异，两个拉齐奥地方品种的含量高于对照组。本研究强调了整合分子、表型和化学分析以了解大蒜地方品种多样性的重要性，这对其保护以及当地农业食品产品的保护具有重要意义。
