A new AHDB review focuses on flavour and potential routes to improve flavour quality pre-harvest in chives. Additionally it documents how off-flavours can occur if plants are mismanaged post-harvest.
Key points
- The ACSO-allinase system is thought to be an insect defence system. When under stress, and particularly stresses which limit the production of the typical ACSOs of allicin and isoallicin
- Sulphur in alliums is used in forming S-alkyl-cysteine sulphoxides; where in other plant families, up to 90 per cent of sulphur is usually used in the formation of the amino acids cysteine and methionine
- Mycorrhizae may aid growth in general, especially in substandard soils. However, there has been no reported effect on flavour, with studies showing no difference when treated with mycorrhizae