Selection and Hybrid Broccoli Seed Production for Producing High Sulforaphane Sprout

Abstract

Sulforaphane from broccoli sprout is a good source of antioxidant that becomes popular among the health. Thus, this study was conducted to select broccoli hybrids that had great content of sulforaphane and used those in seed production. Study of flowering habit and seed set was done using four broccoli commercial varieties, Montop, Packman, Top Green and F29A, at Pang-Da Royal Station, Chiang Mai during October, 2009 to April, 2010. Completely randomized design (CRD) with 7 replications was used (using inflorescence as replication). It was found that Top Green and F29A could give 50% blooming faster than others, 64 days. Nine hybrids of these 4 varieties were made. Pod length, weight, number of seed per pod and seed weight were recorded when pods had reached 50% maturity. The result showed that F29A x Montop and F29A x Packman crosses gave the longest pod length, 5.157 and 5.057 cm, respectively, significantly different in pod from the other crosses. Whereas crosses of Top Green x Montop, Top Green x Packman, F29A x Montop and F29A x Packman yielded the greatest pod weight, 0.097, 0.103, 0.091 and 0.093 g/pod, respectively. Only 6 crosses, Top Green x Montop, Top Green x Packman, Top Green x F29A, F29A x Montop, F29A x Packman and F29A x Top Green, had seed setting. The greatest number of seeds per pod, 8 seeds /pod, was found in the crosses of Top Green x Packman. Top Green x Packman and F29A x Packman crosses caused the greatest seed weight, 0.026 and 0.028 g/pod, respectively. Sulforaphane analysis of broccoli sprouts at 5 days germination revealed that the hybrid of F29A x Packman had the greatest amount of sulforaphane, 4.34 mg/g dry weight.