1980 Volume 49 Issue 2 Pages 180-188
Allium wakegi Araki is only propagated asexually, by planting bulbs, and is supposed to be developed into a vegetable population consisting of various clones over a long history of cultivation. The authors have cultivated 202 clones collected from western Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, and investigated their various characteristics. The results are summarised as follows:
1. Collected clones were classified into 22 cultivars with differing characteristics. These cultivars were grouped into two ecotypes, namely the“Japanese”and the “Southern”types.
2. Cultivars of the“Japanese”type were collected from western Japan (including the Ryukyu Islands) and South Korea. Plants belonging to this type showed retarded growth in winter and grew luxuriantly in spring. Becoming dormant at maturity, their bulbs could be stored in good condition over the summer. The cultivars of this type were classified into four groups according to morphological similarities in leaf character.
3. Cultivars of the“Southern”type were collected from Taiwan and Ryukyu Islands. Plants belonging to this type, though affected by cold weather, continued to grow through the winter. Bulb formation in these plants was earlier than in those of the“Japanese”type. Their maturation was disturbed by cold and moist weather in early spring, and these bulbs did not achieve a state of full dormancy.
4. The 19 local forms of A. wakegi Araki used in this investigation could be karyotypically divided into the five types, as reported previously: K(2n)=14V+J+jT, =14V+Jt+jT, =14V+Jt+j, =14V+J+iTand =14V+J+j. The cultivar classification reported here was not in accord with the karyotypic grouping. Intraspecific differentiation of A. wakegi Araki is considered to have occurred mainly at the genic level.
