Brassica campestris L., a higher plant with potential for teaching genetics

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Abstract
Two early-flowering accessions of the higher plant Brassica campestris L. were evaluated for their potential use in teaching genetics. The case of culture, life cycle of about 45 days, small plant and seed size, flower characteristics, prolific seed production, and the availability of clearly distinguishable mutants in these accessions are qualities that make this plant suitable for use by students to design and conduct their own inheritance studies during a 15-week semester. No other higher plant known to the authors possesses this combination of characteristics. Selection was successful in developing a population of plants that flowered 2–3 days earlier and more uniformly than the two accessions. This selected population should facilitate inheritance studies since pollinations and classifications can be performed earlier and more or less simultaneously. The availability of viable pollen throughout the day, the extended flowering period of a week or longer, the presence of secondary branches, and the nonshattering seed pods in the two accessions provide the investigator (student) flexibility in scheduling pollinations and harvests.