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Allium tuberosum

Authority Rott. ex Spreng Family Liliopsida:Liliidae:Asparagales:Alliaceae Synonyms Allium odoratum L. Common names cebolinho da China, Chinese chives, cuchay, ku ts'ai, nira, Oriental garlic Editor Ecocrop code 594

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A herbaceous plant forming dense clumps, 20-40 cm tall, with a prominently spreading rhizome, and with 4-9 leaves and indistinct bulbs. USES Young garlic-flavored leaves and young inflorescences are used for seasoning food, they may be eaten blanched or green. It has medicinal properties. GROWING PERIOD Perennial. Leaves may be harvested 70-120 days after planting and the same plant may produce for up to 20-30 years. COMMON NAMES Chinese chives, Chinese onion, Oriental garlic, Kucai, Kuchai, Kutsay, Ganda, Amput di imayyaw, Kachaay, Kuichai, Hom-paen. FURTHER INF Scientific synonym: A. odorum, A. uliginosum, A. senescens. Chinese chives is believed to have orginated in China. High temperatures encourage bulb formation, but flower formation and seed production are only possible where the bulbs are subjected to low temperatures. In the tropics, flower and seed formation can therefore only occur at higher elevations, but generally the plant seldom produce seeds in the tropics. Outside the tropics dormancy is induced by short days and flowering by long days. Long days also favour bulb development. A cool period promotes early leaf production. Moist soil is required throughout the growing period, but excessive soil water and high humidity encourage diseases.
Sources
SOURCES (A. tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel) Tindall H 1983 pp 30-31 [USE] Duke J 1975 pp 6 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Roecklein J 1987 pp 482 [USE] Rice R 1990 pp 302-303 [FER, TEXT] Siemonsma J 1993 pp 80-82 [TEMP, FER, TEXT, DRA, PHO]