Calcium and Magnesium Concentration of Inbred and Hybrid Broccoli Heads

Abstract

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L., Italica Group) is a good vegetable source of Ca and Mg, two critical minerals in human nutrition. Studies have shown that bioavailability of Ca from broccoli is comparable to that from milk. Thus, broccoli is an important alternative source of Ca in segments of the population that consume limited amounts of dairy products. Essentially nothing is known about the genetic influence on variation in Ca or Mg concentration of broccoli heads. Thus, the goal of this research was to examine variation in Ca, and also Mg concentrations, in a collection of USDA inbreds and commercial F₁ hybrids. In 1996 and 1997 field studies, significant differences among inbred entries and among hybrid entries were observed for Ca and Mg concentrations of broccoli heads. With hybrids and inbreds, mean head Ca concentrations were ≈3.0 mg·g^-1 dry weight (DW), and entries with lowest and highest Ca concentrations differed >2-fold. Mean Mg concentrations of hybrid heads was 2.3 mg·g^-1 DW (range 1.8 to 2.6) and 2.8 mg·g^-1 DW (range 2.2 to 3.7) in 1996 and 1997, respectively. Inbred lines had mean head Mg concentrations of 2.0 and 2.6 mg·g^-1 DW in the two respective years and ranges in concentration were similar as for hybrids. Analysis of variance indicated significant environment and entry by environment effects for Ca and Mg concentrations of hybrids. With inbreds, a significant entry by environment effect for Ca concentration and environment effect for Mg concentration was also observed. Significant environment and entry by environment effects indicate that the environmental influence on phenotypic expression of Ca and Mg concentrations may complicate genetic improvement of head mineral concentration.