Compositional traits of hybrid populations of Brassica oleracea L. var. italica (broccoli) and Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis (cauliflower) during four organic breeding cycles

This study investigated the compositional changes in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) landraces during a four-year breeding program in organic farming, focusing on key bioactive compounds linked to value for cultivation and use (VCU). Our results revealed that many metabolites, notably ascorbic acid, nitriles, sulphides, and total phenols, significantly responded to environmental differences, particularly higher temperatures, and reduced rainfall during plant development. Other traits, like sugar levels, sulforaphane, indole-3-carbinol, and pigments showed stable genetic control and limited variation. This work provides valuable insights for the development of innovative and high VCU material tailored to organic cropping systems and potentially leading to improved final product quality.