*Review* **Advances in Genetics and Molecular Breeding of Broccoli**

**Fengqing Han, Yumei Liu, Zhiyuan Fang, Limei Yang, Mu Zhuang, Yangyong Zhang, Honghao Lv , Yong Wang, Jialei Ji and Zhansheng Li \***

> Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticultural Crops, Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ministry of Agriculture, #12 Zhong Guan Cun Nandajie Street, Beijing 100081, China; hanfengqing@caas.cn (F.H.); liuyumei@caas.cn (Y.L.); fangzhiyuan@caas.cn (Z.F.); yanglimei@caas.cn (L.Y.); zhuangmu@caas.cn (M.Z.); zhangyangyong@caas.cn (Y.Z.); lvhonghao@caas.cn (H.L.); wangyong03@caas.cn (Y.W.); jijialei@caas.cn (J.J.)

**\*** Correspondence: lizhansheng@caas.cn; Tel.: +86-010-62135629

**Abstract:** Broccoli (*Brassica oleracea* L. var. *italica*) is one of the most important vegetable crops cultivated worldwide. The market demand for broccoli is still increasing due to its richness in vitamins, anthocyanins, mineral substances, fiber, secondary metabolites and other nutrients. The famous secondary metabolites, glucosinolates, sulforaphane and selenium have protective effects against cancer. Significant progress has been made in fine-mapping and cloning genes that are responsible for important traits; this progress provides a foundation for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in broccoli breeding. Genetic engineering by the well-developed *Agrobacterium tumefaciens*-mediated transformation in broccoli has contributed to the improvement of quality; postharvest life; glucosinolate and sulforaphane content; and resistance to insects, pathogens and abiotic stresses. Here, we review recent progress in the genetics and molecular breeding of broccoli. Future perspectives for improving broccoli are also briefly discussed.

**Keywords:** broccoli; progress; genetic researches; molecular breeding
