Genetic analysis of the bracting trait in cauliflower and broccoli

The appearance of cauliflower and broccoli heads is of great importance for the commercial value of these crops. The bracting trait, in which bracts protrude through the cauliflower curd or broccoli head, is therefore, detrimental to their value. Association analysis between the allelic status of the BoAP1-a locus and the severity of bracting in populations segregating for this trait indicates that bracting may be suppressed by certain BoAP1-a alleles. In F2 populations in which all the plants are homozygous for a recessive Boap1-a allele that does not suppress bracting, segregation ratios of ∼3:1 for bracty:non-bracty plants were observed, indicating the presence of a single dominant gene that promotes bracting.