Performance of Brocoli (brassica oleracea L. var.italica) genotypes for growth, yiled and quality

Abstract

The study entitled ‘Performance of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) genotypes for growth, yield and quality’ was carried out at the Department of Vegetable Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during 2023 to 2025. The objective of the study was to identify broccoli genotypes with high yield and quality adaptable to Kerala conditions. The experimental material consisted of sixteen broccoli genotypes collected from different parts of India. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with two replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant difference among the sixteen genotypes for all the characters studied. The highest plant height at harvest was recorded in Waltham 29 (71.42 cm) which was on par with Saki (68.47 cm) and Palam Samrudhi (68.09 cm). Saki recorded the highest plant spread at harvest (6024.75 cm2) which was on par with Green Diamond 909 (5758.54 cm2). Highest number of leaves per plant at 30 DAT and at harvest was recorded in Saki (10.84 and 32.51 respectively). Chevalier recorded the highest leaf length at harvest (51.41 cm) which was on par with Saki (49.99 cm). Highest leaf breadth at harvest was observed in Saki (24.22 cm) which was on par with Palam Samrudhi (22.85 cm). The leaf area was the highest in Saki at harvest (1485.54 cm²), which was on par with Chevalier (1439.43 cm²) and Marathon (1379.95 cm²). Marathon recorded the highest stem girth (16.78 cm) which was on par with Saki (15.69 cm). Saki recorded highest foliage weight at harvest (0.60 kg) which was on par with Supreme (0.59 kg), Palam Samrudhi (0.58 kg) and NS 50 (0.53). Highest gross plant weight was observed in Saki (3.05 kg) followed by Palam Samrudhi (2.09 kg). Fiesta was the earliest in head initiation (51.60 days) which was on par with Festival (53.83 days). Minimum days to 50 per cent head initiation was recorded in Festival (54.54 days). Waltham 29 recorded the highest number of days to 50 per cent heading (91.09 days). NS 50 recorded the lowest number of days to head maturity from head initiation (10.00 days) which was on par with Palam Samrudhi (10.60 days), while Waltham 29 (18.10 days) recorded the highest number of days to head maturity from head initiation. Festival was the earliest to harvest (64.40 days) which was on par with Supreme (65.90 days) and Fiesta (66.10 days) and Waltham took the highest number of days to harvest (108.39 days). Palam Samrudhi recorded the highest head diameter (12.25 cm), which was on par with Captain 488 (11.84 cm) and Saki (11.62 cm). The highest head depth was recorded in Saki (9.14 cm). Out of sixteen broccoli genotypes, ten were sprouting type. Among these, Marathon produced the highest number of sprouts per plant (9.00) which was on par with Green Magic (7.99). Green Magic recorded the highest weight for sprouts per plant (58.99 g). Waltham 29 recorded highest stalk length per plant (6.69 cm). The highest net head weight, total head weight, yield per plant, head yield per plot and marketable yield per plot was observed in Saki (360.04 g, 458.01, 360.04 g, 5.54 kg and 4.95 kg respectively). The highest value of harvest index was observed in Palam Samrudhi (0.14), which was on par with Lucky (0.14), Iris Cali 09 (0.13), Waltham 29 (0.13), Festival (0.13), Green Magic (0.12), Captain 488 (0.12) and Saki (0.12). Marathon recorded the highest heading percentage (99.00 per cent) which was on par with Iris (92.5 per cent), Palam Samrudhi (90.00 per cent), Iris Cali 09 (87.50 per cent), Saki (86.00 per cent) and Waltham 29 (82.50 per cent). The highest head size index was recorded in Saki (106.41 cm2) which was on par with Palam Samrudhi (93.83 cm2). Supreme recorded the highest head compactness (40.61 g cm-3) which was on par with NS 50 (37.68 g cm-3), Festival (34.35 g cm-3), Fiesta (34.07 g cm-3) and Saki (32.27 g cm-3). The TSS content was highest in Palam Samrudhi (8.84°Brix), which was on par with Fiesta (8.35°Brix), Marathon (7.78°Brix) and Captain 488 (7.47°Brix). Waltham 29 recorded the highest carotene content (207.22 µg 100 g-1) which was on par with Festival (188.92 µg 100 g-1). Palam Samrudhi recorded the highest ascorbic acid content of (74.77 mg 100 g-1). The highest reducing sugar was recorded in Saki (2.55 per cent) which was on par with Lucky (2.14 per cent). Festival recorded the highest amount of non reducing sugars (0.62 per cent) which was on par with Saki (0.58 per cent). The head colour retention was the highest in Chevalier (3.95 days), which was on par with NS 50 (3.35 days) and Supreme (3.35 days). NS 50 recorded the highest number of days in storage (3.98 days) which was on par with Fantasy (3.38 days). The estimates of PCV and GCV were high for plant height, plant spread, leaves per plant at harvest, leaf length at 30 DAT, leaf area, foliage weight at harvest, gross plant weight, head depth, sprouts per plant, weight of sprouts per plant, stalk length, net head weight, total head weight, yield per plant, head yield per plot, marketable yield per plot, harvest index, percentage heading, head size index, head compactness, TSS, carotene, protein, ascorbic acid and non reducing sugars. Moderate PCV and GCV were observed for leaf length at harvest, leaf breadth at harvest, stem girth, days to head initiation, days to 50 per cent head initiation, days to head maturity from head initiation, days to head harvest, head diameter and shelf life. High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean were recorded for all traits. Yield per plant exhibited significant positive correlation at genotypic and phenotypic levels with gross plant weight, head size index, harvest index, head depth, head diameter, plant height at harvest, leaves per plant at harvest and plant spread at harvest. Path coefficient analysis revealed that head size index exerted highest positive direct effect on yield per plant followed by gross plant weight, days to head initiation, plant height at harvest, harvest index, sprouts per plant and leaves per plant at harvest. In sensory analysis, Saki ranked first for appearance, colour, flavour and taste, whereas Green Magic exhibited the highest mean score for texture and ranked second for appearance and flavour. Based on the yield, quality, sensory evaluation and selection index, the genotypes Saki and Palam Samrudhi were found best performing and suitable for growing in open field condition.