Morpho-Agronomic Characterization of an Unexploited Germplasm Collection of Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (L.)) from Spain
2025
Eric Prendes-Rodríguez | Alicia Iborra | Carla Guijarro-Real | Adrián Rodríguez-Burruezo | Ana Fita
Cauliflower landraces (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) safeguard allelic diversity for adaptation, yet their phenotypic breadth under winter field conditions remains under-documented. We evaluated 69 Spanish landraces and two commercial checks from the COMAV-UPV genebank using 15 quantitative and 21 qualitative descriptors. Seed viability ranged from 0 to 92%, and mature plants showed wide ranges in stem length (coefficient of variation &asymp: 72%), leaf size, and head weight (100&ndash:723 g). Six curd-colour classes&mdash:including uncommon purple and Romanesco green&mdash:were recorded. Most accessions (>:88%) required more than 120 days from sowing to harvest, but a distinct subset (12%) matured within 60&ndash:120 days. Plant stature tended to be positively associated with head mass, whereas highly branched inflorescences matured earlier. Variation was dominated by curd size and plant architecture. Multivariate analyses&mdash:principal component analysis for quantitative traits, multiple correspondence analysis for qualitative traits, factor analysis of mixed data, and clustering of FAMD scores by k-means&mdash:resolved three phenotypic clusters spanning a gradient of curd size/architecture and plant stature. The collection includes accessions with compact curds, earliness, or distinctive pigmentation that are immediately useful for breeding and for prioritizing regeneration. These results provide a phenotypic baseline for future genomic association studies and the development of cultivars adapted to winter production.
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