Modern broccoli puts way more of its energy into the part we eat — the head — compared to older types, which wasted more energy on leaves and stems.

Scientific Claim

Modern hybrid broccoli exhibits a 93% increase in harvest index (23.2%) compared to landrace broccoli (12.0%), indicating a greater proportion of biomass is allocated to the edible head.

Original Statement

“Mean Calabrese hybrid harvest index (23.2%) was nearly double that of Calabrese landrace landraces (12.0%), indicative of strong selection pressure during improvement.”

From study:From landrace to modern hybrid broccoli: the genomic and morphological domestication syndrome within a diverse B. oleracea collection.

Evidence Quality Assessment

Claim Status

appropriately stated

Study Design Support

Design supports claim

Appropriate Language Strength

association

Can only show association/correlation

Assessment Explanation

The study observes a difference between groups over time but does not prove breeding caused it. 'Exhibits' and 'was nearly double' are appropriately descriptive.

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (0)

No supporting evidence found

Contradicting (1)

From landrace to modern hybrid broccoli: the genomic and morphological domestication syndrome within a diverse B. oleracea collection.

Cross-Sectional Study

The study says modern broccoli is better than old types, but it doesn’t give the exact numbers claimed, so we can’t say if the 93% increase is true.

Source Study

From landrace to modern hybrid broccoli: the genomic and morphological domestication syndrome within a diverse B. oleracea collection.

Score: 37

DOI: 10.1038/s41438-020-00375-0

Similar Assertions

Today’s broccoli heads are much tighter and more uniform in shape than older varieties, which makes them look better and sell better in stores.

80%

Modern broccoli has much smaller individual florets than older varieties, which makes the head look tighter and more uniform — something breeders have been selecting for.

77%

Over the last 130 years, the size of broccoli heads has gotten bigger by almost a gram each year, because breeders have been selecting for larger heads.

74%

Today’s broccoli varieties can handle hotter weather better than older ones, which helps farmers grow them in more places and during warmer seasons.

74%

The broccoli we buy in stores today has much less genetic variety than the old-fashioned types grown in southern Italy, meaning farmers have lost a lot of natural diversity by breeding for uniformity.

70%