ABSTRACT
The genotypic plasticity exhibited by members of the Brassicaceae has allowed for the astonishing assortment of phenotypes observed in common vegetable, oilseed and condiment crops. The insect community associated with these various crops is highly infl uenced by host plant architecture as well as by host chemical ecology. The Brassicaceae hold a special place in the study of plant-insect interactions as almost all members produce glucosinolates, secondary metabolites that profoundly affect such relationships. Furthermore the genome of the close relative Arabidopsis thaliana has been sequenced providing ready access to extensive genetic and genomic resources. Arabidopsis thaliana is highly amenable as a model system for the study of plant-insect interactions at the genetic and molecular level (Mitchell-Olds 2001). This chapter will focus mainly on the traits specifi c to Brassicaceae-insect interactions and efforts to re-introduce these traits into domesticated crops from wild cultivars or by genetic engineering.
