Genotyping-by-sequencing of waxy and glossy near-isogenic broccoli lines

Wild-type Brassica oleracea L. have matte blue-green leaves caused by an interaction between leaf pigmentation and a waxy bloom coating the surface. Glossy mutants have reduced and/or altered epicuticular wax giving the leaves a shiny green appearance and have been identified in most B. oleracea crop varieties, including cauliflower, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and collard. The genetic basis of glossy mutants has not been studied in B. oleracea. Glossiness can confer resistance to multiple herbivores mediated by modification of herbivore feeding behavior and foraging efficiency of their predators. The USDA-ARS-U.S. Vegetable Laboratory released two pairs of near-isogenic broccoli lines (NILs) that visibly differ only for glossiness, providing ideal germplasm for the genetic study of epicuticular wax in B. oleracea. Genotyping-by-sequencing resulted in hundreds of polymorphisms between each pair of NILs. Polymorphisms were identified in or near three different wax synthesis genes suggesting the two glossy mutants were caused by alteration of different steps of the pathway.