Preliminary Report on the Breeding of F1Hybrid Between Broccolini with High Sulforaphane

Xiangyang LI,Zhenxiang LIU,Zizhu LIU,Yansong ZHENG,Hua ZHANG,Guangguang LI,Hongdi HUANG

Guangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Guangzhou 510308,China

Broccolini is a newly introduced green vegetable,and a hybrid of broccoli and kai-lan.Its flavor is sweet and it is abundant with nutrients,as well as anthocyanin and raphanin[1-6].Therefore,it is much popular in global market.It was firstly introduced by Guangzhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences in 2006 and became a hit thereafter,for yield and income increases dominate.However,due to only relying on importing,the price is too high and the quality is not satisfied,which prevents industrialization of broccolini in China.Reports are unavailable domestically.Therefore,we started research on new broccolini species from 2006 and finally bred a group of unique excellent broccolini and male sterile lines,as well as inbred lines,and cultivated broccolini F1hybrid with high sulforaphane,characterized by vigorous growth,high resistance,good quality,good commodity and high yield,by the use of male sterile lines.Sulforaphane is the most effective active ingredient as a natural antitumor substance found in vegetables[3-10].Hence,it is of great significance for developing and producing health food to domestically cultivate self-dependent innovation of broccolini F1hybrid containing high sulforaphane and extract sulforaphane therefrom.These would significantly improve the application value of broccolini,making it possible to transform vegetables into high-value anticancer substances and play an active role in enhancing economic and social benefits by increasing new vegetable species.

Breeding Process

Since 2006,highly-qualified strain was extracted from broccolini cultivar SBB-025 and taken as male parent for hybridization between SBB-003 male sterile line of American broccolini and male sterile line of Japanese broccolini cultivar Qianxiu,followed by directional backcrossing.Currently,on basis of the 8thgeneration backcrossing and self-crossing,male sterile lines and inbred lines have been bred,character-ized by different flower colors and appearances.According to file observation and identification of multiple generations,the sterility percentage and degree maintain 100%of male sterile lines and molecular marker technology showed that the male sterile lines belong to stable Ogu CMS.Based on breeding and cultivation during 2011-2012,BeautyNo.1,BeautyNo.2,Beauty No.3 and Beauty No.4 were bred and experimental planting and displaying were conducted on Beauty No.1 and Beauty No.2 during 2012-2013.In 2014,sulforaphane content was measured of the new groups,and bred new hybrid strains containing high content of sulforaphane.

Breeding Results

High yielding

The research designed a control group with Japanese broccolini cultivar Qianxiu.In 2011 and 2012,over 20 groups were identified through matching and experimental planting.Most groups proved higher in yield compared with Qianxiu,of which four hybrid strains were bred and selected,including Beauty No.1,Beauty No.2,Beauty No.3 and Beauty No.4.Specifically,the seeds were sown on September 28,2013 and transplanted on October 25.The test plot has an area of 12 m2and the test designed three replications and planting spacing of 45 cm×50 cm.As shown in Table 1,with control group containing Qianxiu,Beauty No.1 achieved the highest in yield.For example,the yield reached 29 265 kg/hm2,increasing by 30.0%compared with the control.The yields ofBeautyNo.4andBeautyNo.2 reached 28 935 and 28 185 kg/hm2,increasing by 28.5%and 25%compared with the control.The yield of Beauty No.3 was 25 012.5 kg/hm2,increasing by 11.0%compared with the control.In general,the yields of Beauty No.1 and Beauty No.2 maintained higher in terms of yield in Zhuhai,Guangzhou,andShaoguan,which can be as high as 37 500 kg/hm2.

Quality and sulforaphane content

On basis of appearance and taste of broccolini,Beauty No.1,Beauty No.2,Beauty No.3 and Beauty No.4 were highly-qualified cultivars,whose tastes performed better compared with the control.Specifically,the cultivars taste sweet and delicious,containing few fibers,and look green.Subsequently,Beauty No.1,Beauty No.2,Beauty No.3,Beauty No.4 and Qianxiu were carried to Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine for measurement of sulforaphane content.As shown in Table 2,Beauty No.2 had the highest content of sulforaphane.For example,every 1 kg Beauty No.2 contained 48 mg sulforaphane,which was 77.8%and 272.1%higher than compared with Qianxiu and broccoli in the control.Secondly,every 1 kg Beauty No.4 contained 44.5 mg sulforaphane,which was 64.8%and 245%higher compared with Qianxiu and broccoli in the control.Every 1 kg Beauty No.1 contained 27.4 mg sulforaphane,which was similar to that of Qianxiu,but 112.4%higher than that of broccoli.Every 1 kg Beauty No.3 contained 17.4mgsulforaphane,whichwas 36.7%lower compared with Qianxiu in the control but 34.9%higher compared with broccoli.Xieet al.[3]measured sulforaphane contents of 9 vegetables of Cruciferae,excluding broccoliniby HPLC and the results showed that broccoli had the highest content of sulforaphane,suggesting that it is better to takeBrassicavegetables as raw materials for extraction of sulforaphane.Besides,the contents of sulforaphane in Beauty No.2,Beauty No.4 and Beauty No.1 were 1.0-2.7 times as high as that of broccoli,and the research concluded that Beauty No.2,Beauty No.4 and Beauty No.1 contained high sulforaphane,and the three can be used as raw materials for extraction of sulforaphane.

Commercial character and ripeness

As shown in Table 3,commercial broccolini in the test was in the range of 15.8-19.02 cm in terms of length,1.6-1.9 cm in thickness,and 50-60 g in weight.The four cultivars are green,and leaf is small.In general,the vegetable is of high commercial value and rate.Specifically,Beauty No.2 is the heaviest,and grows thicker and uniform.Beauty No.1 grows relatively uniform.Beauty No.4 grows longer and Beauty No.3 grows thicker and shorter.On the other hand,Beauty No.1 and Beauty No.4 are relatively larger;Beauty No.2 is moderate;Beauty No.3 is shorter.As forripeness,Beauty No.1 and Beauty No.2 grow mature the earliest,and the period from sowing to harvesting just lasts for 83 d,so that the harvesting date is 7 d earlier compared with the control.The period from sowing to harvesting of Beauty No.4 is 90 d and of Beauty No.3 is 95 d.

Disease tolerance and stress resistance

Disease tolerance and stress resistance were surveyed in the breeding test in 2012 and cultivar comparison test in 2013,respectively.The results proved that flooding tolerance,and heat/coldness resistance performhigher of the four cultivars.What’s more,disease tolerance performs well,also.In practice,the cultivars are only diseased by downy mildew,black rot disease and bacterial soft rot at slight degree.In conclusion,heat tolerance,flooding resistance,and disease tolerance of downy mildew,black rot disease and bacterial soft rot are all higher compared with Qianxiu in the control.

Table 1 Comparisons of yields of new broccolini cultivars

Table 2 The measurement results of sulforaphane content of new broccolini cultivars

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Demonstration and comprehensive assessment

Recently, Beauty No.1 and Beauty No.2 are grown in experimental sites in Guangzhou,Zhuhai and Shaoguan and it is proved that the two cultivarsgrow mature earlier,with strong growth vigor and high commercial value.Besides,the harvesting period lasts for 90 d and yield can be as high as 37 500 kg/hm2.With good quality and taste,the wholesale price reaches 5-8 yuan/kg and output value is as high as 150 000 yuan/hm2,so that the cultivars win popularity among consumers and farmers.For instance,itis well-reputed in New Vegetable Cultivars’Exhibition in Nansha District.

Of the four cultivars,Beauty No.1 performed the best in terms of yield and Beauty No.2 the best in terms of commercial value,taste,the content of sulforaphane.What’s more,Beauty No.1 and Beauty No.2 grew mature the earliest,and the harvesting date was 5-10 d earlier compared with the control.The contents of sulforaphane proved higher in Beauty No.1,Beauty No.2 and Beauty No.4.In conclusion,Beauty No.2 is a priority in terms of excellent new hybrid strain,followed by Beauty No.1.

Characteristics and Properties of the Cultivars

Beauty No.1

It is an early or mid-ripening F1 hybrid,with a high yield.For example,the yield can be as high as 29 265 kg/hm2.The period lasts for 80-85 d from sowing to early harvesting.It grows tall and big.Specifically,the plant height can be 65 cm,and the spreading degree can be 88 cm×79 cm.Besides,the plants typically grow to 17 cm in length,1.8 cm in thickness,and weigh about 50 g.It is green and has a good flavor.Furthermore,the color becomes brighter after quick boiling.Additionally,the content of sulforaphane is high in the plants;disease tolerance proves strong;the harvesting period lasts for 65-90 d.

Beauty No.2

It is an early or mid-ripening F1hybrid,with a high yield.For example,the yield can be as high as 28 185 kg/hm2.The period lasts for 80-85 d from sowing to early harvesting.It grows tall and big.Specifically,the plant height can be 59 cm,and the spreading degree can be 68 cm×61 cm.Besides,the plants typically grow to 19 cm in length,1.8 cm in thickness,and weigh about 60 g.It is green and has a good flavor.Furthermore,the color becomes brighter after quick boiling.Additionally,the content of sulforaphane is high in the plants;disease tolerance proves strong;the harvesting period lasts for 65-90 d.

Beauty No.3

It is a middle or late-ripening F1hybrid,with a high yield.For example,the yield can be as high as 25 020 kg/hm2.The period lasts for 95-100 d from sowing to early harvesting.It grows moderate in size.Specifically,the plant height can be 51 cm,and the spreading degree can be 66 cm×77 cm.Besides,the plants typically grow to 15.8 cm in length,1.9 cm in thickness,and weigh about 50 g.It is green and has a good flavor.Furthermore,the color becomes brighter after quick boiling.Additionally,the content of sulforaphane is high in the plants;disease tolerance proves strong;the harvesting period lasts for 65-90 d.

Beauty No.4

It is a mid-ripening F1hybrid,with a high yield.For example,the yield can be as high as 28 935 kg/hm2.The period lasts for 95-100 d from sowing to early harvesting.It grows tall and big.Specifically,the plant height can be 59 cm,and the spreading degree can be 68 cm×77 cm.Besides,the plants typically grow to 18.8 cm in length,1.6 cm in thickness,and weigh about 50 g.It is green and has a good flavor.Furthermore,the color becomes brighter after quick boiling.Additionally,the content of sulforaphane is high in the plants; disease tolerance proves strong;the harvesting period lasts for 65-90 d.

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