ABSTRACT
The Brassicaceae family includes approximately 3,700 species in 350 genera. The species have diverse characteristics, many of which are of agronomic importance as vegetables, condiments, fodder, and oil crops (Beilstein et al. 2006). Economically, Brassica species contribute to approximately 10% of the world’s vegetable crop produce and approximately 12% of the worldwide edible oil supplies (Economic Research Service USDA 2008). The tribe Brassiceae, which is one of 13-19 tribes in the Brassicaceae, consists of ~ 240 species and contains most crop species of Brassica. Species of particular importance are B. napus and B. juncea as sources of canola oil, B. rapa and B. oleracea as vegetable cole crops, and B. nigra as a source of the mustard condiment. In addition to the crop species, many of the wild species in the tribe Brassiceae have potential as new crops, sources of condiments, industrial oil, and other diverse products and/or host systems for molecular farming. Wild relatives possess a number of useful agronomic traits, including nuclear and cytoplasmic male sterility, resistance to disease, insect, and nematode pests, tolerance of cold, salt, and drought stresses. For this reason, an understanding of the genetic potential of Brassiceae wild relatives is critical for the establishment of long-term breeding programs of these crops.
