ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION Broccoli (Brassica oleracea van Italica) is a compact, rapidly developing floral vegetable that is usually harvested when the flowering heads are immature. The name broccoli, therefore, refers to the young shoots that develop in spring on some species of the genus Brassica (brocco is Italian for shoot). The sprouting broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Italica) is believed to be the ancestor of the present quick-growing cauliflowers (1). The usual types of sprouting broccoli first develop a central head of green color, and a number of smaller axillary stalks bear smaller heads, which are sold in bunches. The sprouting broccoli is a vegetable of the highest quality (2). Broccoli is a popular vegetable of commercial importance in the United States (3). It was determined from an acceptibility poll that broccoli and cauliflower are America's favorite vegetables. More women rated broccoli as their favorite vegetable than men (4). Broccoli was one of the top vegetables exported from the United States in 1995 (5). Broccoli and asparagus accounted for about 90% of $102.6 million in exported U.S. vegetables sent to Japan in 1994, and broccoli imports into Japan for that year from the United States were projected to amount to 100,000 t, worth about $200 million (6). In 1989, 60% of the frozen broccoli consumed in the United States was imported. A large part of the U.S. produce goes to the freezing industry. The top broccoli-producing states in 1992 were California, Arizona, and Texas (7). Broccoli is gradually becoming a popular vegetable in other parts of the world.
