Individual glucosinolates (GSLs) were assessed to select cabbage genotypes for a potential breeding program. One hundred forty-six cabbage genotypes from different origins were grown in an open field from March to June 2019; the cabbage heads were used for GSL analyses. Seven aliphatics [glucoiberin (GIB), progoitrin (PRO), epi-progoitrin (EPI), sinigrin (SIN), glucoraphanin (GRA), glucoerucin (GER) and gluconapin (GNA)], one aromatic [gluconasturtiin (GNS)] and four indolyl GSLs [glucobrassicin (GBS), 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin (4HGBS), 4-methoxyglucobrassicin (4MGBS), neoglucobrassicin (NGBS)] were found this study. Significant variation was observed in the individual GSL content and in each class of GSLs among the cabbage genotypes. Aliphatic GSLs were predominant (58.5%) among the total GSLs, followed by indolyl GSL (40.7%) and aromatic GSLs (0.8%), showing 46.4, 51.2 and 137.8% coefficients of variation, respectively. GIB, GBS and NGBS were the most common GSLs found in all genotypes. GBS was the most dominant GSL, with an average value of 3.91 µmol g-1 (0.79 to 13.14 µmol g-1). SIN, GIB, PRO and GRA were the other major GSLs, showing average values of 3.45, 1.50, 0.77 and 0.62 µmol g-1, respectively. The genotypes with relatively high contents of GBS, SIN, GIB and GRA warrant detailed studies for future breeding programs since the hydrolysis products of these GSLs have several anti-cancer properties.
Keywords: HPLC; cabbage; genotypic variation; glucobrassicin; glucoiberin; glucosinolates.