BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- China and Uzbekistan have been cooperating on research into allium, a plant genus which includes garlic and onions, by establishing the China-Uzbekistan Global Allium Garden, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said Friday.

Construction has begun on a center in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, while a center in Kunming, Yunnan Province, has been in operation since 2017.

The garden is engaged in the collection, conservation, cultivation and exhibition of allium, as well as providing support for allium use and protection, said Cao Jinghua from the CAS.

There are more than 500 types of allium around the world, and it is one of the most important plant genus for food and medical use.

China currently has over 100 types of allium, while Uzbekistan is an important origin of garlic and onion.

The allium garden, jointly built by the Kunming Institute of Botany under the CAS and the Institute of Botany at the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, is expected to be a base for wild allium preservation and research.