The garlic Germplasm Collection maintained by Embrapa Hortaliças comprises 89 accessions, representing the genetic diversity of this crop in the country. Duplicates of the same genotype increase the cost of maintaining the collection, as well as make difficult their agronomic evaluation. The identification of duplicated accessions of the garlic Germoplasm Active Bank was obtained through analysis of 27 variables of morphological characteristics. Genotypic differentiation among thirteen groups was achieved by cluster analysis. The most important features for distinction of these groups through principal components analysis were: plant height with erect leaves at 60 days; plant height with normal leaves at 60 days; leaf insertion angle at 90 days; bulb colour; number of bulblets from sieves one, two, and four; weight of bulblets from sieve two; average weight of bulbs at harvest time; and average bulb weight at threshing time. The most important features for the distinction of group genotype representatives by canonic variables analysis were: plant height with erect leaves at 120 days; plant height with normal leaves at 60 days; leaf insertion angle at 90 days; number of leaves at 60 and 90 days; number of bulbs at harvest time; total number of bulbs; average weight of plants at first day and at 60 days; and average weight of bulbs. Genotype representatives of different groups were distinctly characterised on the basis of 34 parameters, complemented by canonic variables analysis.
Allium sativum; Germplasm Collection.
