Horticulture/Brassica

Brassica is the type genus of the mustard family, ../Brassicaceae/. The members of the genus may be collectively known either as cabbages, or as mustards.

This genus is remarkable for containing more important agricultural and horticultural crops than any other genus. It also includes a number of weeds, including both wild taxa and escapees from cultivation. It includes over 30 wild species and hybrids, and numerous additional cultivars and hybrids of cultivated origin. Most are annuals or biennials, but some are small shrubs.

The genus is native in the wild in western Europe, the Mediterranean and temperate regions of Asia. In addition to the cultivated species, which are grown worldwide, many of the wild species grow as invasive or naturalised weeds, especially in North America, South America, and Australia.

Almost all parts of some species or other have been developed for food, including the root (../Rutabaga/, ../Turnip/), stems (../kohlrabi/), leaves (../Cabbage/, brussels sprouts), flowers (../cauliflower/, ../broccoli/), and seeds (many, including mustard seed, oilseed rape). Some forms with white or purple foliage or flowerheads, are also sometimes grown for ornament.

Brassica species are sometimes used as food plants by the larvae of a number of Lepidoptera species - see List of Lepidoptera which feed on Brassicas.

Species
There is some disagreement among botanists on the classification and status of Brassica species and subspecies. The following is an abbreviated list, with an emphasis on economically important species.


 * ../Brassica carinata/ - Abyssinian Mustard or Abyssinian Cabbage
 * ../Brassica elongata/ - Elongated Mustard
 * ../Brassica fruticulosa/ - Mediterranean Cabbage
 * ../Brassica juncea/ - Indian Mustard, Brown and leaf mustards, Sarepta Mustard.
 * ../Brassica napus/ - Oilseed rape, Canola, Rutabaga (Swede Turnip)
 * ../Brassica narinosa/ - Broadbeaked Mustard
 * ../Brassica nigra/ - Black Mustard
 * ../Brassica oleracea/ - Kale, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kai-lan, Brussels sprouts
 * ../Brassica perviridis/ - Tender Green, Mustard Spinach
 * ../Brassica rapa/ - Chinese cabbage, Turnip, Rapini, Mustard
 * ../Brassica rupestris/ - Brown Mustard
 * ../Brassica septiceps/ - Seventop Turnip
 * ../Brassica tournefortii/ - Asian Mustard

Deprecated species names

 * B. kaber (Wild Mustard or Charlock) - see ../Sinapis arvensis/
 * B. alba or B. hirta (White or Yellow mustard) - see ../Sinapis alba/

Pests and diseases
Bacteria: Fungi: Phytoplasma: Nematodes: Nutrient Deficiencies: ../Aphids/ ../Whiteflies/ ../Bugs/ ../Thrips/ ../Maggots/ ../Beetles/ ../Weevils/ ../Caterpillars/ ../Slugs and Snails/
 * ../Bacterial Leaf Spot/ caused by ../Xanthomonas/ spp.
 * ../Powdery Mildew/
 * ../Fungal Leaf Spot/ caused by ../Alternaria/ sp.
 * ../Downy Mildew/
 * ../White Mold/
 * ../Black Leg/
 * ../Soft Rot/
 * ../Bottom Rot/
 * ../White Mold/ caused by ../Sclerotinia/ sp.
 * ../White Rust/
 * ../Clubroot/ caused by ../Plasmidiophora brassicae/
 * ../Damping Off/
 * ../Texas Root Rot/
 * ../Yellows/ caused by a phytoplasma
 * ../Root Knot Nematodes/
 * ../Potassium/ Deficiency
 * ../Calcium/ Deficiency
 * ../Boron/ Deficiency
 * ../Magnesium/ Deficiency
 * ../Molybdenum/ Deficiency
 * Green Peach Aphid: ../Myzus persicae/
 * Cabbage Aphid: ../Brevicoryne brassicae/
 * Turnip Aphid: ../Lipaphis pseudobrassicae/
 * Greenhouse Whitefly: ../Trialeurodes vaporariorum/
 * Silverleaf Whitefly: ../Bemisia argentifolii/
 * False Cinch Bug: ../Nysius raphanus/ Western North America
 * Harlequin Bug: ../Murgantia histrionica/ Southern US
 * Stink Bugs
 * Onion Thrips: ../Thrips tabaci/
 * American Serpentine Leaf Miner: ../Liriomyza trifolii/
 * Cabbage Leaf Miner: ../Liriomyza brassicae/ (Warm climates)
 * Cabbage Maggot: ../Delia radicum/ Northern US and Canada
 * European Crane Fly: ../Tipula paludosa/ Europe, Northwest US and Western Canada
 * Pea Leafminer: ../Liriomyza huidobrensis/
 * Radish Root Maggott: ../Delia planipalpis/ Western North America
 * Cabbage Flea Beetle ../Phyllotreta albionica/
 * Colorado Potato Beetle: ../Leptinotarsa decemlineata/
 * Crucifer Flea Beetle: ../Phyllotreta cruciferae/
 * Hop Flea Beetle: ../Psyllioides punctata/
 * Palestriped Flea Beetle: ../Systena blanda/
 * Red Turnip Beetle: ../Entomoscelis americana/ Northwest Us and Western Canada
 * Striped Flea Beetle: ../Phyllotrete striolata/
 * Western Black Flea Beetle: ../Phyllotreta pusilla/
 * Western Striped Flea Beetle: ../Phyllotreta ramosa/
 * Whitefringed Beetles: ../Naupactus/ spp.
 * Yellowmargined Beetle: ../Microtheca ochroloma/
 * Vegetable Weevil: ../Listroderes difficilis/
 * Cabbage Looper: ../Trichoplusia ni/
 * Alfalfa Looper: ../Autographa californica/ Western US
 * Beet Armyworm: ../Spodoptera exigua/
 * Cabbage Butterfly Caterpillar (Cabbage White, Imported Cabbageworm): ../Pieris rapae/
 * Cabbage Webworm: ../Hellula rogatalis/
 * Cross-striped Cabbageworm: ../Evergestis rimosalis/
 * Diamondback Moth Caterpillar: ../Plutella xylostella/
 * Purplebacked Cabbageworm: ../Evergestis pallidata/
 * Southern Cabbageworm (Checkered white butterfly): ../Pontia protodice/
 * Zebra Caterpillar: ../Ceramica picta/
 * Angle Shades (../Phlogophora meticulosa/)
 * Cabbage Moth (../Mamestra brassicae/)
 * Common Swift (../Korshceltellus lupulina/)
 * Foxglove Pug (../Eupithecia pulchellata/) - recorded on Brassica in Malta
 * Garden Carpet (../Xanthorhoe fluctuata/)
 * Garden Dart (../Euxoa nigricans/)
 * Ghost Moth (../Hepialus humuli/)
 * Giant Leopard Moth (../Ecpantheria scribonia/)
 * The Gothic (../Naenia typica/)
 * Heart and Club (../Agrotis clavis/)
 * Heart and Dart (../Agrotis exclamationis/)
 * ../Hypercompe abdominalis/
 * ../Hypercompe indecisa/
 * Large Yellow Underwing (../Noctua pronuba/)
 * The Nutmeg (../Discestra trifolii/)
 * Setaceous Hebrew Character (../Xestia c-nigrum/)
 * Turnip Moth (../Agrotis segetum/)