Genetic Variability, Inheritance and Correlation for Mineral Contents in Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea Var. Capitata L.)

Brassica vegetables are important sources of dietary minerals. However, information on the inheritance and correlation for content of mineral elements such as iron, zinc, copper, manganese, potassium, and calcium in cabbage, which is essential if the quality of this vegetable is to be improved through breeding, is not available. Therefore, the experiment was set up with seventy-one cabbage genotypes including cultivars, germplasm and F₁ hybrids grown in field. Mineral composition of the genotypes tested differed highly significantly indicating the presence of adequate amount of variability. A high heritability (>80%) accompanied by high genetic advance as percentage of mean (>40%) for uptake and accumulation of Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Ca indicates the predominance of additive gene, which could be improved by hybridization followed by selection breeding approach. Nevertheless, heterosis breeding would be an imperative in increasing the K content in cabbage heads as indicated by non-additive gene action for K accumulation having high heritability (>80%) and low genetic advance as percentage of mean (<30%). Moreover, both additive and non-additive genes were responsible for individual head weight. A positive correlation for Fe, Zn and Mn contents with other minerals will help in simultaneous selection of mineral elements. Nevertheless, major yield contributing ‘head weight’ was negatively correlated with minerals content and emphasized the selection of smaller head size to maintain the higher minerals content in tissues of cabbage heads. Hence, assessing the heritability, inheritance and correlation for minerals would be useful in the developing mineral-rich and productive genotypes.