Conventional and biotechnological approaches for control of parasitic weeds

Abstract

On a worldwide basis, parasitic weeds represent one of the most destructive and intractable problems to agricultural production in both developed and developing countries. About 20 families (3,000-5,000 species) of higher plants are parasitic on the plant kingdom and may cause production losses of 30-80% in staple food and industrial crops on every continent. Compared with the other weeds, parasitic weeds are difficult to control by conventional means because of their life style: Parasites are intimately involved with the host and have so much metabolic overlap with the host that differential treatments are very difficult to develop. In some cases, the parasites are closely associated to the host root, concealed underground, and undiagnosed until they irreversible damage the crop. Several different approaches (cultural, mechanical, chemical, use of resistant varieties, and biological) to control parasitic weeds are currently in use, but are only partially successful. Recent reviews have covered the physiology and interactions between parasitic plants and their hosts, taxonomy, and the biology and classical control of parasitic weeds. The current review will discuss why alternative methods are needed to control parasitic weeds and will summarize conventional and new biotechnologybased control measures against the major world pests Striga, Orobanche, Cuscuta, and mistletoes (Phoradendron and Viscum genera). Effectiveness, advantages and disadvantages, environment safety, and simplicity of these new biotechnological methods will be reviewed.

Cucumber Mosaic Virusas a carotenoid inhibitor reducingPhelipanche aegyptiacainfection in tobacco plants

“…4,5 Broomrapes have developed sophisticated systems for detecting the presence of host plants and coordinating their development with the hosts. 6,4,7,8 The early stages of development are critical to parasite survival, because a germinated seedling that fails to connect to a host will exhaust its energy reserves and die. Some broomrape seeds compensate for this by strict protocols for germination and contact with the host.…”

Haustorial Hairs Are Specialized Root Hairs That Support Parasitism in the Facultative Parasitic Plant Phtheirospermum japonicum

“…Striga spp. plants are major threats to world food security because they parasitize important crops, including maize (Zea mays), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), rice (Oryza sativa), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), and cause severe yield reductions (Aly, 2007;Scholes and Press, 2008;Mutuku et al, 2015). In particular, in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, Striga spp.…”

Türkiye Mercimek (Lens culinaris Medik.) Üretimindeki Yabancı Ot Sorunlarının Dünü, Bugünü ve Yarını - Şanlıurfa Örneği

“…Şanlıurfa ilinde yapılan survey çalışması esnasında üreticiler çıkış sonrası yabani hardal ve yabani yulaf için ilaç kullandıklarını, ancak kontrol edemedikleri geniş yapraklı yabancı otların kendileri için büyük sorun olduğunu bildirmişlerdir. Geçmiş yıllarda da mercimekte geniş yapraklı yabancı otların ve canavar otlarının mücadelesi için etkili ve güvenli herbisitlerin olmayışı sorun olarak bildirilmiş ve 1996-1997 yıllarında yapılan çalışmalar sonucunda geniş yapraklılar için imazethapyr ve canavar otları için imazapic etkili bulunmuştur (Uludağ ve ark., 1998;2007). Ancak IMI grubundaki bu etkili maddelerin kullanımının sonlandırılmış olması mercimekteki geniş yapraklı yabancı otların mücadelesinde eksikliğe neden olmuştur.…”

“…Mercimek tarlalarında ana zararlı durumunda olan canavar otları (Orobanche spp.) ekim zamanına, bulaşma dönemine ve şiddetine bağlı olarak %5-100 arasında ürün kaybına (Linke ve ark., 1989;Sauerborn, 1991) ve Orta Doğu'da yıllık 1,3-2,6 milyar dolar ekonomik kayba neden olmaktadır (Aly, 2007). Ülkemiz mercimek tarlalarında yaygın ve yoğun olarak belirlenen canavarotları, geçmişten günümüze üretimdeki en önemli sorunlar arasında değerlendirilmektedir.…”