: GARLIC :

A. CLASSIFICATION   Kingdom : Plantae Order : Asparagines Family : Liliaceae Genus : Allium Species : A. sativum Botanical name: Allium sativum Linn

B. OTHER NAMES

Indian : Beluli, Lasan, Lashuna, Mahausada, Rason. Naharu, Rasun, Lasan, Shunam, Lashun, Lossun, Velluli, Velluthulli, Lasun, Rasun, Vellaipundu, Tellagadda.
Foreign : Garlic, Sanum, Ajo, Ail, Sir, Alho, Chesnok, Knoblauch Lauch

C. MORPHOLOGY

Garlic is a perennial herb with underground bulbs with peculiar smell. Compound white bulb is enclosed by thin whitish scales. Inside that are several smaller bulbs called cloves surrounded by a thin white or pinkish sheath. Stem arises from the middle of bulblets and is covered with leaf sheath. Leaves are flat, narrow green; heads bear small white flowers and bulbils.

D. CULTIVATION

Garlic grows well in higher elevation (1000-1300 m) and well-drained, moderately clayey loam is best suited for cultivation. It requires cool, moist conditions during growth and a relatively dry period during maturing of the crop. Crop takes 4-5 months to mature, harvested during February to April. Yields good results, when nourished with farmyard manure or organic inputs.

E. CHEMICALS

Garlic contains an essential oil with allyl propyldisulphide, diallyldisulphide, more sulphur compounds, Allicin, alliatin 1 & 2, And two antiseptic and hypotensive principles. Bulbs contain essential oil, several gama-glutamyl peptides, several amino acids, gamma glutamyl-S-alkylcysteines, allicin and other thiosulfinates, Bulbs, roots, leaves contain steroidal glycosides sativoside, degalactotigonin and F-gitonin. Oil of bulb contains fatty acids.

Garlic also contains : protein 6.3%, fat 0.1 %, carbohydrate 29%, Ca 0.03%, Fe 1.3 mg/100 g, vitamin C 13 mg/100 g.

REFERENCE IN ANCIENT TEXTS

Indian Texts

UPAVARHANA SAMHITA: Good for health.

AGNI PURANA: A mixture of this plant, ginger and drum sticks is helpful for eye and as eardrop.

MATSYA PURANA: Garlic has great medicinal value, should be stored in forts.

Foreign Texts

Garlic is mentioned in the Bible.

Its use in China was first mentioned in A.D. 510.

F. MYTHOLOGY

Garlic has been regarded as a force for both good and evil. A Christian myth considers that after Satan left the Garden of Eden, garlic arose in his left footprint and onion in the right.

In Daoism mythology, six-clove black garlic is used as part of the process of modifying a Daoist's physiology. It supposedly endows the user’s immortality by intensifying their vital energy or "chi

G. RESTRICTIONS

In both Hinduism and Jainism, garlic is considered to stimulate and warm the body and to increase one's desires. Some Hindus generally avoid using garlic and the related onion in the preparation of foods for religious festivities and events.

Followers of the Jain religion avoid eating garlic and onion on a daily basis

H. MEDICINE

Ayurveda

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

Rasa : Madhura, Lavana, Katu, Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Snigdha, Teekshna
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka: Katu

USEFUL PARTS

Bulb

I. Disorders cured

Intermiteent Fever, Cough, Asthama, Colic, Skin Diseases, Ulcers, Cardiac Diseases, Indigestion

Homeopathy

Mother tincture, a good remedy for cough and cold, pain in the chest, swelling of glands

Modern Medicine

Bulb: Anti diabetic, Anti inflammatory, Anticancer, Rheumatism,

Raw garlic: Reduce glucose, Cholesterol, Phospholipids

Juice: Bruises and sprain, Earache, Pulmonary phthisis

J. AGRICULTURE

Plant a garlic clove beside the plant you want to protect. Pests of all kinds will stay away. Do not plant garlic near peas.

USEFUL PARTS

Bulb

K. MODE OF ACTION

Repellent, Insecticidal, Nematicidal, Fungicidal, Antibiotic. Allicin present in garlic serves as a repellent

TARGET PESTS

Garlic bulb extract

American bollworm Armyworm, Cotton stainer, Onion thrips, Potato tuber moth,Root knot nematode, Sugarcane shoot borer, Bacterial diseases, Downy mildew Rice blast, Black spots, Blights, Fruit rots, Rusts

Garlic oil spray

Imported cabbage worm, Leafhoppers, Squash bugs, Whitefly

Effect on non target organisms

Garlic oil spray has a broad-spectrum effect. It is non-selective so it can kill beneficial insects as well. This is not recommended for aphid control since it kills the natural enemies of aphids.