Garlic Health n Chris Kik Plant Research International

Garlic & Health n Chris Kik, Plant Research International, Wageningen, The Netherlands and n Rolf Gebhardt, University of Leipzig, Germany

Garlic & Health: main project aim ‘To improve the quality of garlic and derived products and to understand the sulphur metabolism in the plant as well as in the human body, in order to strengthen the European based garlic pharma and food industry and to increase public health’

Garlic & Health: management structure

Garlic & Health: socio-economic aspects n n Cancer and cardiovascular diseases are by far the most important diseases in Europe which cost every year several billions of Ecu’s Garlic agriculture (Mediterranean countries) is severly threatened by imports from China, the EU commission issued in 1993 a regulation which reduces the annual import to 12 Ktons to protect the European farmers (annual EU garlic production value: 750 MEcu)

Garlic & Health n Plant Part

Garlic & Health: WP 1 Genetic Resources UZBEKISTAN n Aim: the development of an advanced garlic core collection l l l In gene centre: 250 accessions of garlic and wild relatives were sampled genetically different clones sexual fertility organo-sulphur content

Garlic & Health: WP 2 Breeding Systems n Aim: the application of new breeding methods to improve the existing and develop new garlic cultivars

Garlic & Health: WP 2 Breeding Systems GENETIC TRANSFORMATION SEXUAL HYBRIDIZATION mass propagation

Garlic & Health: WP 3 Cultivation n Aim: l l scientific: to investigate the relative influence of the genotype, the environment and their interaction on the organo-sulphur status of garlic practical: to provide the partnership with garlic which is fully characterised with respect to growing conditions, genotype etc.

Garlic & Health: WP 3 Cultivation field Alliin (nmol/mg. FW) 1, 0 MOR PRI MES 0, 8 0, 6 0, 4 0, 2 0, 0 2 F_L 1 F_L 2 F_L- 1 F_L- Alliin (nmol/mg FW) in vitro 100 90 PRI 80 70 60 50 40 0 1 2 3

Garlic & Health: WP 4 Sulphur biochemistry n Aim: to establish the limiting biochemical and physiological steps for allicin formation in garlic l l l intermediates in sulphur biochemical pathway genes for limiting steps in sulphur assimilation sulphur pathway & plant development

Garlic & Health: WP 4 Sulphur biochemistry key enzyme: cysteine synthese

Garlic & Health: WP 4 Sulphur biochemistry