Chenopodiaceae

Beet (Beta vulgaris) is the most important species of this family. Under the general name beet are grouped together beetroot, for human consumption, mangelwurzel, a fodder crop for livestock and especially sugar beet, produced for its sugar.
Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris var. rapa) makes up 80% of French industrial-scale crops. The vast majority of the production is destined for the sugar industry but part of it goes to distilleries for alcohol manufacturing. Beet is the main source of sucrose in places where it is not possible to grow sugar cane. Its range of cultivation extends to all the temperate regions of the World.

In market gardening, spinach, grown for its leaves, is the most important crop.

Chenopodiaceae are highly vulnerable to viral diseases transmitted by aphids

See Aphid damage on Chenopodiaceae

Frequent aphids

• Aphis fabae
• Myzus persicae
• Rhopalosiphoninus staphyleae

Occasional aphids

• Aulacorthum solani
• Macrosiphum euphorbiae
• Myzus ascalonicu

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.