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Abstract
The single species Brassica oleracea encompasses a remarkable diversity of morphotypes, including cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, marrowstem kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts as well as rapid-flowering morphologically simple genotypes reminiscent of the leading botanical model, Arabidopsis thaliana. To dissect the molecular basis of morphological diversity of B. oleracea, two backcross populations were developed by using inbred lines of cabbage (Badger Inbred) and cauliflower (Orange) as donor parents, and a rapid cycling line (TO1434) as the recurrent parent. Genotypes of the two populations in their BC4F1 generation were determined by genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). The two populations were evaluated in the field for two seasons. Morphological traits, including flower color and 14 leaf-, stem-, and flower-traits, were segregating within the two populations, based on which we found 219 marker-trait associations. The two populations provide the foundation to construct panels of near isogenic lines covering most of the genome, and reveal QTLs for morphological traits in finer resolution and higher mapping power in the near future.