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Cabbage

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 Golden Leaf Publishers Breeding Approaches for vegetable Crops
ISBN- 978-81-19906-88-8

Cabbage
Chapter
Soyal Kumar1*, Shailendra Kumar2, Pavan Prajapati3, Uttam Shivran4
1*
Research Scholar, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology,
Meerut, India

5 2
Research Scholar, Department of Horticulture, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central
Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar, India
3&4
Research Scholar, Department of Horticulture, Rajasthan College of
Agriculture, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology,
Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
*
Corresponding Author e-mail: yskumarsoyal333@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Cabbage, belonging to the Brassicaceae family, is a significant vegetable crop
cultivated worldwide. It exhibits various types distinguished by their shape, size, and color.
Being a highly cross-pollinated crop, F1 hybrid progeny heterosis is extensively utilized in
developing countries due to its high yield, disease resistance, adaptability, quality, and
uniform economic traits. The conversion rate from open-pollinated varieties to hybrids and
the seed replacement ratio are notably high in cabbage. The crop has different temperature
requirements for fresh vegetable and seed production. It possesses self-incompatibility and
male sterility systems, enabling cost-effective hybrid seed production. The success of seed
production programs relies on suitable production areas, favourable environments, and stable
parent plants. This chapter focuses on breeding approaches for generating new plant
varieties, including those resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses.
Keywords: heterosis, self-incompatibility, biotic and abiotic stress
Introduction and Importance
Vegetables have been regarded as a crucial element of the human diet for ages, as they
provide essential nutrients necessary for overall health. They are commonly referred to as
"protective food" due to their ability to protect against degenerative diseases. Cabbage,
scientifically known as Brassica oleracea L. var Capitata, is a plant species belonging to the
Cruciferae family. Its chromosome pattern is identified as 2n = 2x = 18 (Fang et al., 2004).
Cabbage, belonging to the Cruciferae family, is part of the same species as several other
vegetables, including cauliflower (B. oleracea L. subsp. botrytis L.,) broccoli (B. oleracea L.
subsp. italica Plenck), Brussels sprouts (B. oleracea L. subsp. gemmifera DC.,) and kale (B.
oleracea L. subsp. gemmifera DC) and respectively, share a common genetic background,
and possess the same genome (Chiang et al.,1993). Cabbage thrives in a moist and cool
climate, displaying remarkable resilience to frost. In cooler regions, cabbage is cultivated as
a spring or fall crop, while in warmer areas, it is predominantly grown during the winter and
early spring seasons. It boasts a high content of vitamin C, along with valuable minerals and

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proteins. The American Cancer Society and the National Research Council have both
advocated for increased cabbage consumption as a means of reducing the risk of certain
types of cancer. Cabbage, recognized for its exceptional nutritional content, is utilized in
various culinary preparations such as slaw, sauerkraut, and cooked dishes. Additionally, the
outer leaves of cabbage are employed as animal feed, showcasing its versatile utilization in
both human and animal consumption. Cabbage exhibits extensive adaptability, displaying
remarkable resistance to diseases and environmental stressors. With its notable yield
potential and robust transportation tolerance, cabbage has emerged as the predominant
vegetable cultivated worldwide. The classification of cabbage primarily relies on its
botanical characteristics and the morphology of its head. These factors serve as key criteria
for categorizing cabbage varieties and subspecies. According to its botanical characteristics,
cabbage can be classified as:
Common Cabbage: Characterized by smooth leaves ranging from green to dark green with
a prominent central rib and a lack of visible crinkles. This particular variation is widely
cultivated and commonly observed within the Brassica oleracea species.
Purple Cabbage: The leaf blade of this cabbage variation shares similarities with common
cabbage, but its outer and inner leaves exhibit a purple coloration. It is primarily used for
fresh consumption and is less extensively cultivated compared to common cabbage.
Savoy Cabbage: Characterized by crinkled or curling outer leaves with pronounced veins.
The color of the leaves is similar to common cabbage, and it offers a delightful flavor
suitable for cooking. However, it is less extensively cultivated compared to common
cabbage.
Introducing new genetic material into organisms can lead to enhanced resistance against
insect pests, improved tolerance to environmental conditions, and heightened quality
attributes. This infusion of genetic information contributes to the overall improvement of the
organism's traits and characteristics.
In the current era of technological advancements, biotechnology has revolutionized the
scientific landscape by offering promising opportunities. It presents a viable option for
developing improved genotypes capable of thriving in a changing climate. Advancements in
genomics, stress biology, and bioinformatics have paved the way for the development of
stress-tolerant crops. Various approaches, such as transformation, mutagenesis, and proteome
profiling, are being employed to incorporate desirable agronomic traits. Molecular biology
applications, including allele mining, gene pyramiding, linkage and association mapping,
genetic engineering, molecular breeding, and marker-assisted selection, are being utilized for
crop improvement. These techniques, along with genome-wide selection and next-generation
sequencing, contribute to the advancement of agricultural practices.
In this chapter, the classification of cultivated cabbage highlights their connection with wild
relatives and emphasizes the significance of genomic resources for breeding purposes.
Origin and Distribution
Cabbage, scientifically known as Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata, is a member of the
Cruciferae or mustard family. Other vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprout,
collards, kale, and kohlrabi are closely related, can easily crossbreed with cabbage, and share
a common ancestry and characteristics. Ancient evidence suggests that modern hard-head
cabbage cultivars originated from wild non-heading brassicas in the eastern Mediterranean
and Asia Minor. The Greeks revered these early cabbage forms as divine gifts. The Romans

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 Golden Leaf Publishers Breeding Approaches for vegetable Crops
ISBN- 978-81-19906-88-8
later spread cabbage across Europe, with the Latin name Brassica derived from the Celtic
word "bresic," meaning cabbage. Over time, hard-headed cabbage varieties developed in
Northern Europe, while loose-heading, heat-resistant types emerged in the south. Cabbage
was first introduced in America when French explorer Jacques Cartier planted seeds in
Canada during his third voyage in 1541. Due to its widespread cultivation in northern
Europe, early settlers brought cabbage seeds to the Americas, where Indians also embraced
the crop. In the United States today, most of the cabbage cultivars trace their ancestry back to
Germany, Denmark, or the Low Countries. The round-headed varieties are older, while flat
or egg-shaped cultivars emerged in the 17th or 18th century. Cabbage was a favoured winter
vegetable in the northern United States for a long time due to its excellent storage
capabilities of up to 2 or 3 months. However, with advancements in transportation and
refrigeration, obtaining fresh vegetables year-round became possible.
Taxonomy and Cytology
The Cabbage, scientifically known as Brassica oleracea L. var Capitata, holds great
significance within the Brassica genus. Molecular genetic mapping in Brassica has revealed
a high level of collinearity within a species, with minor inversions observed among certain
morphotypes of B. oleracea. The diploid species B. rapa (2n=2x=20, A genome) and B.
oleracea (2n=2x=18, C genome) exhibit a close evolutionary relationship, suggesting that
deletions and inversions may have occurred after their divergence. The presence of extensive
segmental duplications in both diploid and amphidiploid maps suggests that diploid Brassica
species originated from an ancestor with a lower baseline chromosome number. However,
complete duplication of entire linkage groups has not been observed. Multiple chromosomal
rearrangements differentiate B. oleracea homologs from one another. Cabbage is classified as
a secondary polyploid with a basic chromosome number of x=6. Three basic chromosomes
exist in duplicate, while the remaining chromosomes are single, following a genome pattern
of ABBCCDEEF.

Growth and Development

Cabbage is a biennial crop that thrives in cool seasons. In its first season, it starts from seeds
and produces vegetative structures and food storage organs. During winter, it undergoes
vernalization through low temperatures, and in the following spring with longer daylight
hours, it transitions to the stage of flowering, fruiting, and seed development. This complete
life cycle of cabbage, from seed germination to seed production, can be divided into two
stages: vegetative growth and sexual reproductive development.
1. Vegetative stage:

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 Golden Leaf Publishers Breeding Approaches for vegetable Crops
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It consists of the Germination Stage, Seedling Stage, Rosette Stage, and Head Formation.
The period from planting the seeds to the emergence of the first pair of leaves is known as
the germination stage or "frame." The duration of this stage depends on the season, taking
around 8-20 days in summer or autumn and 15-20 days in winter or spring. During this
stage, the new plant relies on the stored reserves in the cotyledons for nourishment, so it's
important to use fully matured seeds and prepare a fine seedbed for optimal germination.
After germination, the plant enters the next stage, which lasts from the unfolding of the first
true leaves to the formation of the first leaf whorl and the development of the head shell or
outer skin. This stage typically takes about 25-30 days, depending on the planting date.
Fertilization and irrigation are crucial during this stage to promote healthy seedling growth.
Once the second leaf whorl appears, the plant enters the stage of head formation, which
lasts around 25-40 days and can vary among different varieties. It's important to carefully
manage fertilization and irrigation during this stage to encourage downward root
development and regulate the growth of outer leaves. This helps in forming large and
tightly packed heads. Finally, firm heads begin to form, filled with compact, fleshy leaves.
This typically occurs in about 25-30 days, depending on the variety. Proper irrigation and
targeted fertilization can assist in preventing the head leaves from expanding too much and
promote the formation of a tightly packed head.

2. Sexual reproductive development:

It consists of bolting, Flowering Stage, and ripening Stage.

Bolting
After the seed stock is transplanted, the process of flower stalk bolting typically takes around
25-30 days.

Flowering Stage
Once the first flower blooms, the flowering period begins and continues until the last flower.
The duration of flowering can vary significantly among different varieties, typically lasting
for approximately 25-40 days.
Ripening Stage
The ripening stage starts when the petals fall off the last flower and ends when the lower
pods have ripened and turned fully yellow, usually taking about 40-50 days. Cabbage
requires vernalization during the seedling stage, which depends on factors like stem
diameter, leaf number, and low-temperature exposure duration. Different cabbage varieties
have varying vernalization responses, with early maturing ones needing a stem diameter of
over 0.6 cm, more than seven leaves, and 45-50 days of low-temperature exposure. Medium
or late-maturing varieties require a stem diameter of over 1 cm, 10-15 leaves, and 60-90 days
of low-temperature exposure. Cabbage is prone to bolting after vernalization in spring. Day
length affects cabbage bolting, with long days promoting it, but the response varies among
different types. Round-headed varieties have a strict requirement for day length to bolt and
flower in spring, while point and drum-headed varieties are less sensitive to day length.

Breeding Objective

Flavor and Texture: Improving the taste and texture of cabbage heads is an objective to
enhance consumer satisfaction and market demand.

Nutritional Value: aim to increase the nutritional value of cabbage, such as higher levels of
vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

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 Golden Leaf Publishers Breeding Approaches for vegetable Crops
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Uniformity: Breeders strive to develop cabbage varieties that have uniform head size,
shape, and color. This trait is important for marketability and consumer preference.

Maturity: Developing cabbage varieties with different maturity dates allows farmers to have
a continuous supply throughout the growing season.

Storage and Shelf Life: Developing cabbage varieties with good storage and shelf-life
characteristics helps reduce post-harvest losses and ensures a longer market availability.
Adaptability: work on developing cabbage varieties that can adapt to different growing
regions and climates, allowing farmers to cultivate them in various geographical areas.

Yield: Breeders aim to develop cabbage varieties that have high yield potential, meaning
they can produce a large number of heads per unit area.

Disease and Pest Resistance: Resistance to common diseases like clubroot, black rot, and
fusarium wilt and pests such as aphids, caterpillars, and flea beetles. Breeding for Disease
and pest resistance helps minimize damage and the use of pesticides.

Tolerance to Environmental Stresses: Breeding for tolerance to environmental stresses like

heat, drought, and cold helps ensure that cabbage plants can thrive in different growing
conditions.
Breeding Method
Introduction
When incorporating new plant materials, the identification of desirable plants from non-
uniform introductions allows for their selection, subsequent progeny increase, purification,
and evaluation against standard or local varieties. The success of an introduction largely
relies on the correlation between agroclimatic factors, particularly temperature and day
length, in both the donor and recipient regions. Golden Acre, Copenhagen Market, Pride of
India, September, Drumhead Savoy, and Red Cabbage are introduced varieties.
Mass Selection
In this approach, the most superior individual plants within the population are chosen, and
their seeds are combined for the subsequent generation. As this mass selection relies solely
on the observable characteristics of the plants without conducting any progeny testing, the
effectiveness of the selection process is contingent upon the heritability of the traits being
targeted.
Heterosis Breeding
Hybrid varieties are created by capitalizing on the dominance variance in heterosis breeding.
Hybrids are commercially available for cultivation in cross-pollinated crops like Cole crops
and cucurbits. Over the past twenty years, Indian vegetable breeders have shifted their focus
towards developing hybrids and disease-resistant varieties/hybrids. Vegetables possess
significant export potential and, with value addition, can emerge as a crucial agricultural
commodity for export from India.
Genetic Engineering

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 Golden Leaf Publishers Breeding Approaches for vegetable Crops
ISBN- 978-81-19906-88-8
Gene transfer between unrelated species of plants has been playing a very crucial role in Cole
crop improvement. By transforming genes many useful traits like resistance to insects, stress
and disease have been transferred to many crop varieties from non-cultivated plants.
Recombinant DNA methods and many other methods are in use for the transformation of
genetic information. Genetic engineering is a DNA recombination technique that has made
possible gene transfer between dissimilar genera or species.
Future Prospects
In the future, the field of cabbage breeding holds immense potential for further
advancements and improvements. With the continuous development of breeding techniques
and technologies, breeders can focus on enhancing various aspects of cabbage varieties. One
of the primary objectives in cabbage breeding is to develop varieties with improved disease
resistance. By leveraging advanced genetic tools and marker-assisted selection, breeders can
identify and incorporate genes that confer resistance to major diseases such as black rot,
clubroot, and downy mildew. This will help reduce yield losses and improve the overall
productivity of cabbage crops. In addition to disease resistance, there is a growing demand
for cabbage varieties with enhanced quality attributes. Breeders can work towards
developing varieties that have improved taste, texture, and nutritional value. By selecting and
breeding for higher levels of important nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants, breeders can
cater to the health-conscious market and contribute to the overall well-being of consumers.
Increasing cabbage yield and productivity is another important focus for breeders. Through
the utilization of breeding methods like hybridization and genomic selection, breeders can
develop high-yielding cabbage hybrids that exhibit improved uniformity, head size, and
maturity. This will benefit farmers by maximizing their crop production and profitability.
Given the challenges posed by climate change, breeding for climate resilience is crucial.
Breeders can aim to develop cabbage varieties that are more tolerant to extreme weather
conditions, such as heat, drought, or excessive rainfall. This will help ensure stable cabbage
production even in adverse environmental conditions. Another area of interest in cabbage
breeding is improving post-harvest traits. By selecting and breeding varieties with extended
shelf life, improved storage capabilities, and resistance to post-harvest diseases, breeders can
contribute to reducing post-harvest losses and increasing the market value of cabbage.
Overall, the future prospects for cabbage breeding methods are promising. The focus on
disease resistance, quality and nutritional traits, yield and productivity, climate resilience,
and post-harvest characteristics will drive advancements in the field. These developments
will not only benefit farmers and consumers but also contribute to the sustainable growth of
the cabbage industry.
References:
Fang, Z., Liu, Y., Lou, P., & Liu, G. (2004). Current trends in cabbage breeding. Journal of
New Seeds, 6(2-3), 75-107.
Chiang, M. S., Chong, C., Landry, B. S., & Crete, R. (1993). Cabbage: Brassica oleracea
subsp. capitata L. In Genetic improvement of vegetable crops (pp. 113-155). Pergamon.
Dickson, M. H., & Wallace, D. H. (1986). Cabbage breeding pp. 395-432. Bassett, MJ
(Edited) ‘Breeding Vegetable Crops’ AVI Publishing Company Inc. Connecticut (USA).
Swarup, V. (2016). Vegetable science and technology in India. Kalyani Publishers.

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ISBN- 978-81-19906-88-8
Rathore, J. P., Rashid, M., Sharma, A., Rasool, A., Hussain, S. M., Jabeen, A., & Ali, A.
(2018). Biotechnology and breeding approaches to increase disease resistances in
cabbage. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 7(4), 2667-2671.
Ram, H. H. (2012). Vegetable breeding: principles and practices. Kalyani Publishers.

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