Heat treatments control sprouting and rooting of garlic cloves

Hot water dips (45 /60 8C for 2.5 /60 min) were evaluated as potential treatments to reduce sprout and root growth in peeled or unpeeled cloves in which sprouts had begun internal development but not yet emerged. Water dips at 5/50 8C did not reduce sprout and adventitious root growth in cloves stored at 10 8C and /95% RH, while treatments at 55 8C for 10 min were effective. Several dips at 60 8C inhibited sprout and root growth, although only a 2.5 min treatment was both effective and non-injurious. Respiration rates of heat-treated garlic were higher than those of untreated cloves. L* color value (lightness) of the peeled cloves was sometimes decreased by heat treatment, but chroma and hue were not affected. The hot water dips had no effect on firmness or pungency (thiosulfinate concentrations). Methyl jasmonate dips at 10 3 and 10 4 M were ineffective for sprout control but did reduce root development. A dip at 60 8C 2.5 min was as effective as 1% O2 /10% CO2 atmosphere to retard sprout and root growth during 6 months at 0 /1 8C. # 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.