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Reference · Crops

Brassicaceae

The Brassicaceae family, historically known as Cruciferae, comprises a diverse group of essential agricultural crops. This family includes staples such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, radish, rapeseed, and mustard. These plants are globally significant due to their nutritional value, industrial applications, and high economic yield in modern farming systems.

Main sections

Stock14 Streptanthus4 Warea4 Sterigmostemum3 Thale cress3 Tower mustard3 Vella3 Watercress3 Stanleya2 Teesdalia2 Thellungiella2 Whitlow-grass2 Winter cress2 Stevenia1 Succowia1 Syrenia1 Tauscheria1 Teesdaliopsis1 Tetracme1 Tropidocarpum1
666 sections

What the section contains

Spinach mustard Brassica perviridis Spiny cabbage Brassica spinescens Spiny cress Lepidium spinosum Sprawling cabbage Brassica procumbens Spreading treacle-mustard Erysimum repandum Spreading yellowcress Rorippa sinuata Spring cress Cardamine bulbosa Spring rockcress Arabis verna Stanleya Stanleya 2 items Starry whitlow-grass Draba stellata Steller's rockcress Arabis stelleri Sterigmostemum Sterigmostemum 3 items Sterile cress Nasturtium sterile Stevenia Stevenia 1 item Stock Matthiola 14 items Streptanthus Streptanthus 4 items Stribrny alyssum Alyssum stribrnyi Strict wintercress Barbarea stricta Succowia Succowia 1 item Sweet Rocket hybrids Hesperis hybrids Swinecress Lepidium coronopus Syrenia Syrenia 1 item Tartar sea-kale Crambe tataria Tatsoi Brassica narinosa Tauscheria Tauscheria 1 item Teesdalia Teesdalia 2 items Teesdaliopsis Teesdaliopsis 1 item Tetracme Tetracme 1 item Thale cress Arabidopsis Heynh. 3 items Thellungiella Thellungiella 2 items Thick-leaved hedge mustard Sisymbrium crassifolium Thracian yellow-cress Rorippa thracica Three-leaf bittercress Cardamine trifida Three-leaved bittercress Cardamine trifoliolata Thyme-leaved rockcress Arabis serpillifolia Thysanocarpus Thysanocarpus Toothwort Dentaria Torularia Torularia Tower mustard Turritis 3 items Tower rockcress Arabis turrita Tropidocarpum Tropidocarpum 1 item Turkestan alyssum Alyssum turkestanicum Vella Vella 3 items Wall whitlow-grass Draba muralis Wallflower Cheiranthus Warea Warea 4 items Warty Cabbage Bunias erucago Wasabi Eutrema R. Br. 1 item Watercress Nasturtium 3 items Wavy bittercress Cardamine flexuosa Weak bittercress Cardamine debilis Wedge-leaved madwort Alyssum cuneifolium Western wallflower Erysimum occidentale White arctic whitlow-grass Draba lactea Whitlow-grass Draba L. 1 item Whitlow-grass Erophila 2 items Whitlow-grass Draba verna Winter cress Barbarea 2 items Woad Isatis 1 item Woodland wallflower Erysimum sylvestre

Brassicaceae

The origins of the Brassicaceae family are traced back to the Mediterranean region and parts of Asia, where they were domesticated thousands of years ago. Today, their range of cultivation extends to almost every climate zone, from temperate Northern Europe to arid regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Their wide adaptability has made them a cornerstone of global agriculture.

Botanically, these plants are identified by their four-petaled flowers arranged in a cross-like pattern, which serves as the primary diagnostic feature. They produce fruit in the form of a silique or silicle. Many species are biennial, developing a vegetative rosette in the first year and producing flowers and seeds in the second, although many modern cultivars are annuals bred for rapid harvest.

The cultivation requirements for Brassicaceae include fertile, well-draining soil with a near-neutral pH. They are notably sensitive to soil acidity, which can facilitate the spread of clubroot, a serious fungal disease. Consistent moisture and moderate temperatures are preferred, as high heat can negatively impact the quality and yield of leafy and cruciferous vegetable parts.

  • Cruciferous flea beetles as primary pests
  • Management of clubroot and downy mildew
  • High density of planting and rotation needs
  • Rich in antioxidants and glucosinolates

Economically, Brassicaceae plants serve various purposes: from fresh vegetable consumption to industrial oil production and green manure application. As cover crops, they are highly valued for their ability to suppress weeds and improve soil structure. Continuous research into disease-resistant varieties ensures that this family remains a pillar of food security and sustainable farming worldwide.