Temperature and duration of vernalization effect on the vegetative growth of garlic (Allium sativum L.) clones in Indonesia

Garlic is usually propagated asexually from the cloves. Clove as the propagation source for garlic has many weaknesses. Alternatively, bulbils could be used for the propagation. The aim of this study was to know the effect of temperature and time of vernalization from several clones of Indonesian garlic to bulbil production. This research was conducted at a farmer’s field at Banjarnegara, Central Java, Indonesia. The experiment was arranged in a Completely Randomized Block Design with three factors: temperature of vernalization, i.e., 0, 5, and 10°C, duration of vernalization, i.e., 20, 40, and 60 days, and on 12 garlic varieties/clones (V1–V12). Cloves of garlic were vernalized in cold storage according to the treatments and then planted in the field. The results revealed that a temperature of 5°C and duration of 20 days of vernalization independently single factor increased the number of bulbils of V3. Bulbil variables of V4 and V7 were enhanced with vernalization at 0°C for 20 days, although it did not significantly differ from the control. Therefore, these clones do not need particular vernalization treatment in order to produce bulbils.