Genetic Structure Related to Antioxidant Traits and Sulforaphane Content of Broccoli Genotypes under Normal and Drought Stress Condition

Broccoli is one of the high valuable and very important vegetables rich in nutrients content containing high content of anticarcinogenic metabolite name sulforaphane. Considering the importance of this trait and drought stress in cultivation area of this plants coupled with no available proper study for assessing the most influential traits on sulforaphane content of broccoli using advanced statistical methods, a study on sic broccoli genotypes under two control (no stress) and drought stress (176 mMmanitol application) conditions was carried out. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbic peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), along with sulforaphane content were measured. The results of this study showed that under both control (no stress) and drought stress condition high differences among used genotypes related to measured traits in broccoli were available which the source of this variabilities are both environmental and genetical; however, the genetical factor under stressful condition showed higher proportion in compare to control condition. These results indicate the profitability of the used genotypes to be used in both classical and new molecular breeding programs for improving the content of sulforaphane along with the quantity of the broccoli under normal and stressful conditions. Also, high genetic variability among the genotypes related to measured traits provides as probable crosses between these genotypes to obtain high variability populations for both genetic and breeding programs.