Innovation for organic Broccoli: Breeding for diversity and quality in France

Summary

In the framework of SOLIBAM, integrated breeding strategy are implemented in order to develop populations adapted to organic and low input practices (WP3, tasks 3.1, 3.2 and WP6, task 6.3). As sensory quality is a great expectation from organic consumer, breeding strategy will integrate sensory criteria. In order to create new type populations, a large germplasm of broccoli have been first screened for their agronomical performance and their sensory quality. On these results, a minimum number of common traits required have been proposed on the agronomical, gustatory qualities and more secondary on appearance traits. The next step consists in selecting individuals of interest, crossing them in order to tend to populations which complied with requirement. Each harvest will lead to a sensory evaluation and help the breeding choice.