Abstract Garlic ( Allium sativum L.) is one of the main horticultural crops worldwide, but its expansion faces limitations caused by white rot ( Sclerotium cepivorum ) and by the degeneration of virus-infected propagative material. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of noble garlic clones, either subjected or not subjected to clonal cleaning against viral diseases, in an area naturally infested with S. cepivorum over two consecutive growing seasons (2022 and 2023). In the first season, a randomized block design was used with eight virus-free clones; in 2023, a 2 × 5 factorial scheme (seed garlic health status × clones) was adopted in a randomized block design, totaling five clones evaluated both as first-generation material (originating from the 2022 season) and as virus-infected material (not subjected to clonal cleaning). The variables assessed included emergence, number of leaves, plant height, pseudostem diameter, bulb diameter, bulbing ratio, incidence of white rot, total yield, and commercial yield. In the 2022 season, clones UO 74 and RAL 159 stood out, allocating more than 80% of bulbs into the highest commercial classes. In 2023, the use of first-generation (G1) seed garlic increased mean total yield by 47.8% (from 10.27 to 15.16 t ha⁻ 1 ) and enhanced the commercial yield of some clones by up to 132.5%. Clones UO 74 and RAL 159 show potential for cultivation in areas infested with S. cepivorum , and the use of virus-free material is a promising strategy to improve bulb quality under fungal infestation conditions.
Alves et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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