ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Breeding
Glucosinolate variation, heterosis, and prediction of hybrid performance from parental values in white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
Provisionally accepted
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Glucosinolates (GSLs) are sulfur-containing secondary metabolites with important roles in plant defense and human health. This study evaluated GSL composition, variation, heterosis, and parent– hybrid correlations in 14 cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) doubled haploid lines, 11 derived hybrids, and two commercial hybrids. Thirteen GSLs were detected and quantified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC–MS/MS). Total contents ranged from 19.7 to 67.8 µmol g⁻¹ dw, with aliphatic GSLs dominating the profile (73.0%), followed by indolyl (26.9%) and aromatic (0.1%). Substantial variation was observed among genotypes, but no consistent differences were found between inbred lines and hybrids for individual or total GSL content. Hierarchical clustering revealed two major genotype groups, differentiated primarily by 3C and 4C aliphatic GSLs, with correlation analysis reflecting trade-offs in their accumulation. Heterosis for GSLs varied by compound and parental combination, with consistent positive mid-parent heterosis (MPH) for gluconapin (GNP), gluconasturtiin (GNS), and glucoiberverin (GBN), and negative MPH for glucobrassicin (GBS) and neoglucobrassicin (NGBS). For all major aliphatic glucosinolates, linear regression models explained a high proportion of the variability in hybrid content based on mid-parent values, suggesting that parental phenotyping can reliably predict hybrid performance. In parallel, agronomic traits showed uniformly positive mid-parent heterosis, with head weight exhibiting the highest values. These findings demonstrate the potential to integrate GSL profiling of inbred lines into cabbage breeding programs to improve both nutritional and defense-related traits alongside yield.
Keywords: cabbage2, doubled haploid lines4, glucosinolates1, heterosis5, hybrid breeding3, nutritional value6
Received: 11 Sep 2025; Accepted: 04 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Fabjan, Mikulic-Petkovsek, Kastelec, Podržaj and Rudolf Pilih. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Primož Fabjan
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