Brassicaceae

This family covers rape, the foremost oleaginous plant cultivated in European latitudes, and a great many vegetables consumed as their leaves (cabbage and so on), inflorescences (cauliflower) or roots (turnips, radish). Moreover, in livestock farming areas Brassicaceae are also used as fodder.

France is the primary producer country of rapeseed (Brassica napus) of Europe. The product harvested is the seed, ground to extract the oil for human consumption and for making cattle-cake. The oil is also utilized for manufacturing biofuel. For use as forage, the entire rapeseed plant is grown for grazing in its vegetative state or mown when flowering begins.

France is also first European country for cauliflower production (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis). Over several centuries, selection has yielded different vegetables starting from a single species: Brassica oleracea var.capitata (headed cabbage), Brassica oleracea var.gemmifera (Brussels sprouts), Brassica oleracea var.italica (brocoli), Brassica oleracea var. rapa (turnip). The plants of this family are grown throughout the land and thus provide broad areas that can be colonized by a number of species of aphids, specialist or generalist.

See Aphid damage on Brassicaceae 

Frequent aphids

• Aulacorthum solani
• Brevicoryne brassicae
• Lipaphis erysimi
• Macrosiphum euphorbiae
• Myzus ascalonicus
• Myzus persicae

Occasional aphids

• Aphis fabae
• Aphis nastutii
• Myzus ornatus

Root aphids

• Smynthurodes betae

In the  "Aphid key" folder you will find simplified keys based on photos or morphological criteria to help with identification of species.