The overlapping type head leaves curl inward at the top with the curl length exceeding the vertical central axis of the leafy head.

Among these, the most commonly cultivated Chinese cabbage is the overlapping type, which is also the preferred type for both growers and consumers. The type of leafy head is an important agronomic trait of Chinese cabbage, which can be divided into overlapping, outward-curling, inward-curling without overlap, and spiral types ( Gu. pekinensis) is one of the largest vegetable crops in planting area and market sales in Chinese vegetable production and is also the most commonly consumed vegetable in northern China ( Li et al., 2022). These findings increase our understanding of the molecular basis for pattern formation and divergence of the leafy heads of Chinese cabbage and will contribute to developing more desirable leafy head patterns.Ĭhinese cabbage ( Brassica rapa ssp.

Phytohormone-related genes, including abscisic acid/auxin hormone, may play an important role in the phenotypic divergence of head type in cabbage.Ĭonclusion: Comparative-transcriptome analysis supports a role for phytohormone-related genes and some transcription factors in head-type formation and divergence for four cultivars. Some transcription factors have been predicted as significant genes for phenotypic divergence, including the members of the bHLH, AP2/ERF-ERF, WRKY, MYB, NAC, and C2CH2 families. These phenotype-specific differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were considered crucial for cabbage heading type through WGCNA. Results: Through comparative-transcriptome analysis, the formation and phenotypic divergence mechanism of the leafy head of diploid overlapping type cabbage, diploid outward-curling type cabbage, tetraploid overlapping type cabbage, and tetraploid outward-curling type cabbage were systematically and comprehensively investigated, and the phenotype-specific genes of four varieties were revealed. At present, research on the phenotypic divergence and formation mechanism of heading type is limited.

Institute of Economic Crops, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, Chinaīackground: The heading type of Chinese cabbage is a significant commercial trait with high economic value.

Chuan Meng †, Xiaodong Liu †, Fang Wu, Lei Ma, Yuhai Wang, Jingui Mu and Mingqiu Wang*

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