Broadening of Genetic Diversity in Spring Canola (Brassica napus L.) By the Use of the C-Genome of Brassica oleracea Var. Italica and B. oleracea Var. Capitata.

Canola (Brassica napus, AACC, 2n = 38) is one of the important source of edible oil in the world after soybean and palm. In Canada, spring type B. napus canola is the second most important crop after wheat. Genetic diversity in spring canola cultivars has decreased due to breeding carried out restricted gene pool. Therefore, genetic diversity in Canadian canola needs to be increased, and this can be achieved through the use of either diploid progenitor species Brassica rapa (AA, 2n = 20) and/or Brassica oleracea L. (CC, 2n = 20) and/or other allied species of the family Brassicaceae. Based on this, a research project was undertaken to introgress allelic diversity from the C-genome of B. oleracea var. italica and B. oleracea var. capitata into the spring B. napus canola. For this, B. napus × B. oleracea interspecific crosses were made and the F₁ plants were self-pollinated for F₂ seeds as well as backcrossed to the B. napus parent to develop backcross (BC₁) population. The F₂ and BC₁ populations were self-pollinated for several generations with selection for different agronomic and seed quality traits, and euploid B. napus (2n = 38) plants. Several canola quality interspecific recombinant B. napus lines are developed that can be used in breeding to develop canola cultivars.