Head-splitting is a prevalent physiological disorder in cabbage that causes substantial economic losses. However, the genetic factors and molecular mechanisms underlying head-splitting resistance remain largely unexplored. This study identified a genomic region (qNLQ3.1) for head-splitting resistance on chromosome C03 through the combination of QTL-seq and GPS analysis in an F₂population derived from hybridizing two cabbage inbred lines, ‘Dazhengfu’ (ZF, susceptible) and ‘103’ (resistant).Traditional genetic linkage analysis narrowed qNLQ3.1to a 74.6 kb region. Furthermore, comparative analysis of the two parental linesusing transcriptomic and metabolic profilingdemonstrated the crucial role of hormones in regulating head-splitting resistance. Bol028000, encoding a homologue of Arabidopsis Cytokinin Response Factor 3 (CRF3), emerged as a promising candidate for head-splitting resistance and was subsequently validated through Sanger sequencing and quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Subcellular localisation analysis revealed that Bol028000was mainly expressed in the nucleus. Additionally, one kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) marker from Bol028000was developed and utilized to screen 42 inbred lines. These findings enhance the theoretical understanding of head-splitting resistance and provide valuable insights for the molecular breeding of head-splitting resistant cabbages.

DWARF27  /  carotene isomerase  /  drought stress response  /  strigolactone biosynthesis  /  tillering