Biotech Updates

New Breeds of Broccoli Remain Packed with Minerals

October 21, 2011

USDA scientists evaluated the mineral levels in 14 broccoli cultivars that has been released over a span of more than 50 years ago and found out that the new varieties contain the same levels of calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, sodium, phosphorous, sulfur and zinc.

"For broccoli cultivars grown during the past 35 years, when hybrids became the standard cultivar, evidence indicates that mineral concentrations remain unchanged," said Mark Farnham, one of the researchers. "As broccoli breeders continue to improve this crop in the future, data from this study can serve as a very useful guide in helping breeders understand the variation in mineral concentrations they should expect among their breeding stocks and also provide a realistic baseline that should be maintained as other characteristics are manipulated in the future."

Read more at http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2011/111013.htm.