A wide range of plants have been harnessed for the development of remedies under the Ayurvedic system of medicine. However, a comprehensive modern biological understanding regarding the factors that contribute to the physiology of these plants, the active metabolites and their production is largely lacking. Based on the understanding that associated microbes contribute to plant fitness and metabolism, the project aims to study the structure and diversity of the microbial communities associated with different parts of Allium sativum (garlic) cultivated at diverse geographical locations. The project will further explore capability of mass spectrometers to understand the influence of micro flora and geographical variations in the production of secondary metabolites.
