International Parasitic Plant Society
Welcome to the homepage of the International Parasitic Plant Society (IPPS). The IPPS is dedicated to advancing scientific research on parasitic plants. Our goals include increasing the understanding of these amazing plants, providing a platform for exchange among and beyond the scientific community as well as helping to decrease the crop damage inflicted by weedy parasitic plants.
Latest News
- Did you know that there’s a deciduous mistletoe species in the tropical dry forests of Mexico?
- New paper: The role of isoprenoids in the chemical interaction between plants and other organisms in their rhizosphere
- IPPS Online Seminar on July 2nd, 2025, by Bing Wang and Tao Chen
- A very nice and easy to understand SUICIDAL GERMINATION TECHNOLOGY for kids. “Towards SDG1: Helping small farmers by saving crops from parasitic weeds”
- Three Orobanche genomes reveal distinct molecular repertoires in species with different host ranges
- Natives strike back: a generalist mistletoe attacks exotic invaders
Upcoming: The 18th World Congress On Parasitic Plants (WCPP): 14-20 June 2026, Ilhabela, Brasil.
For more information see Society news.
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Most recent ‘Parasitic Plant’ publications
on the Web
CHALLENGES IN SUNFLOWER CULTURE
Friday 30 May 2025
Another problem in sunflower culture is represented by the high degree of
infestation with weeds such as broomrape ( Orobanche cumana ), Chenopodium album ,
domain : www.researchgate.net
Shining a new light on parasitic plants: resistance to invasion
Thursday 29 May 2025
Parasitic plants, those that directly acquire resources with traditional views of
parasitic plants as forest plagues. native parasitic plants can have in resistance to invasion.
domain : pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Antagonistic rhizospheric Bacillus spp. against Nocardia spp. causing 'false Broomrape'in Nicotiana tabacum (L.)
Tuesday 27 May 2025
Causing false Broomrapein tobacco plants. The test was manifestation
of tobacco false Broomrapedisease in the biological control of tobacco false Broomrapedisease.
domain : link.springer.com
Новая концепция взаимоотношений заразихи и подсолнечника. Сообщение 1–Гипотеза о естественных прививках заразихи и подсолнечника …
Sunday 25 May 2025
In broomrape, including the overcoming of broomrape study the relationship
between broomrape and sunflower based on In our studies, broomrape shoots with different
domain : cyberleninka.ru
A new and endemic species of Struthanthus (Loranthaceae) from Guerrero, Mexico
Sunday 25 May 2025
The need for continued botanical inventories and research on parasitic plants.
Press and Phoenix (2005) suggest that hosts are essential to keep parasitic plants (pp) in a
domain : www.researchgate.net
pportunities for expansion of push-pull technology as an agroecological and sustainable intensification approach in Africa
Friday 23 May 2025
The push-pull technology (PPT) has often been presented as a management
strategy for stemborers and witchweed. However, its value as an agronomic practice and an
domain : www.nature.com
unctional characterization of avirulence factors in the haustorial secretome of the parasitic weed Striga gesnerioides L. (Walp)
Thursday 22 May 2025
Expressed transcripts in Striga haustorial secretome with innate immunity
to Striga parasitism compared to non- the mechanisms by which parasitic plants trigger host
domain : academic.oup.com
versions : 2
urther investigations on the occurrence patterns of multiple broomrape species in Xinjiang China
Thursday 22 May 2025
Broomrapes (Orobanche and Phelipanche spp.) are parasitic weeds on certain
important economic vegetables and crops in Xinjiang, China, causing significant yield
domain : www.sciencedirect.com
Orobanche aegyptiaca-chitosan nanocomposite efficacy against the freshwater snail Biomphalaria alexandrina
Thursday 22 May 2025
This research aimed to investigate the molluscicidal activity of Orobanche
aegyptiaca-chitosan nanocomposite on B. alexandrina snails. The phytochemical screening of
domain : www.nature.com
versions : 2
io-organic fertilizer mitigates Orobanche cumana parasitism by regulating sunflower transcriptomes and rhizosphere microbial community
Tuesday 20 May 2025
Methods Field investigation was conducted to study the response mechanisms
of host microbial communities to parasitic plants using amplicon techniques. Pot experiment
domain : link.springer.com
Простой межлинейный заразихоустойчивый гибрид подсолнечника Арсенал ОР
Tuesday 20 May 2025
It is a simple interlinear hybrid resistant to the race G of broomrape. The
hybrid is for cultivation in regions where new virulent races of broomrape are spreading
domain : cyberleninka.ru
The Mechanism Involved in High-Lycopene Tomato Mutants for Broomrape Resistance
Tuesday 20 May 2025
Considering the crucial role of SLs in broomrape The molecular basis of
broomrape resistance in the insights into the tomato-broomrape interaction network and offer a
domain : www.mdpi.com
hytoparasite avoidance: Manipulation of strigolactone exudation, not biosynthesis
Monday 19 May 2025
With fewer negative impact on crop growth and yield compared with
manipulating strigolactone biosynthesis, providing a novel approach to control parasitic plants.
domain : pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
uzzling parasitic plants: phylogenetics and classification of Santalales revisited
Monday 19 May 2025
Based on a previously published but realigned matrix for Santalales, we find
many relationships that were weakly or unsupported in previous studies are here much better
domain : www.biorxiv.org
Expansion of the genus Bevemovirus: Novel genome discovery and evidence for virus–host co-segregation
Sunday 18 May 2025
Symptomatic viral lesions of Korean bellflower (Campanula takesimana), while
SaPlV1 was identified in the transcriptome data of purple witchweed (Striga hermonthica)
domain : www.sciencedirect.com
Most recent 'Parasitic Plant' publications
in Scopus
Unveiling the cardiopreventive effect of the parasitic weed Orobanche crenata Forsk. extract against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in rats
Food Bioscience, volume 69
Sunday 06 July 2025
This study explored the preventive effects of Orobanche crenata extract (OCE) against myocardial infarction. LC-MS/MS profiling revealed the presence of 27 metabolites, including phenolic acids, flavonoids and phenylethanoid glycosides. In vitro, OCE exhibited significant antioxidant activity via DPPH and ABTS assays, attributed to its noteworthy T...
This study explored the preventive effects of Orobanche crenata extract (OCE) against myocardial infarction. LC-MS/MS profiling revealed the presence of 27 metabolites, including phenolic acids, flavonoids and phenylethanoid glycosides. In vitro, OCE exhibited significant antioxidant activity via DPPH and ABTS assays, attributed to its noteworthy TPC = 48.02 mg GAE/g and TFC = 20.83 mg QE/g. In vivo, rats were subjected to isoproterenol injections (29th and 30th days), following pretreatments with OCE (20 and 60 mg/kg) or Pidogrel (Pid 2 mg/kg). Most of the changes were dose-dependent, with a pronounced impact at 60 mg/kg compared to 20 mg/kg. Compared to ISO-treated group, the pretreatment with OCE at (60 mg/kg bw) reduced CK-MB, LDH, AST and cTn-I by 45 %, 43.5 %, 48.3 % and 67 %, respectively (p < 0.0001) and normalized the lipid profile, by alleviating LDL-C levels by 59 % and enhancing HDL-C levels by 67 % (p < 0.01). OCE promoted antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD and GPX) by 53 %, 168 % and 209 %, respectively, reducing lipid peroxidation by 65 % (p < 0.0001). Additionally, the findings revealed the inhibitory activity of the extract against ACE and the reduction of plasmatic fibrinogen level, indicating an anti-remodeling activity. Moreover, Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities (−7 and −9.8 kcal/mol) of orobanchoside, isorhamnetin rhamnosyl glucoside, crenatoside, quercetin coumaroyl glucoside and apigenin with cardiotoxicity related proteins: ACE, TGF-β1, PDI, MAPK14 and CaMK II. Overall, OCE represents a potential source of cardioprotective agents, supported by its richness in phenolic compounds, capable of reducing cardiac damage by countering oxidative stress, inflammation, fibrosis, calcium overload, cardiac remodeling.
Orobanche aegyptiaca-chitosan nanocomposite efficacy against the freshwater snail Biomphalaria alexandrina
Scientific Reports, volume 15
Saturday 05 July 2025
As one of the neglected tropical diseases, schistosomiasis is responsible for various social and economic issues in numerous developing countries. The intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni is the Biomphalaria alexandrina snails. A promising approach to mitigate the transmission of this disease is to use medicinal plants loaded with nanomaterials...
As one of the neglected tropical diseases, schistosomiasis is responsible for various social and economic issues in numerous developing countries. The intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni is the Biomphalaria alexandrina snails. A promising approach to mitigate the transmission of this disease is to use medicinal plants loaded with nanomaterials to control these snails. This research aimed to investigate the molluscicidal activity of Orobanche aegyptiaca- chitosan nanocomposite on B. alexandrina snails. The phytochemical screening of the tested plant verified its abundance of saponins, tannins, and flavonoids, which may be responsible for its cytotoxic effects. Chitosan nanoparticles were produced using the ionotropic gelation technique, while the O. aegyptiaca-chitosan nanocomposite was synthesized using the sonochemical approach. The characterization of the nanocomposite was carried out using TEM, XRD, and Zeta potential. The results demonstrated that the survival, fecundity (eggs/snail/week), and reproductive rates of B. alexandrina snails were substantially reduced upon exposure to the sub-lethal concentrations LC10 or LC25 of O. aegyptiaca-chitosan nanocomposite. Biochemically, it adversely affected some parameters, where it considerably (P < 0.05) raised ALT, AST, and ALP levels, while urea, uric acid, and cholesterol were significantly decreased compared to control snails. Furthermore, the antioxidant markers CAT, SOD, and GSH exhibited a substantial (P < 0.05) reduction, while MDA and NO levels increased at both sublethal concentrations. Histopathological examinations of the digestive gland of the treated B. alexandrina revealed a decrease in the size of the tubules, and the digestive and secretory cells degenerated. The hermaphrodite glands exhibited substantial damage in the reproductive tubules, with extensive damage to the gonadal cells, resulting in the loss of ova and sperm shapes. Also, the comet analysis showed a genotoxic effect of the nanocomposite, evidenced by significant changes in crucial comet assay parameters: tail length (TL), tail DNA percentage (TD), tail moment (TM), and olive tail moment (OTM). Conclusively, these findings confirmed the potential activity of O. aegyptiaca- chitosan nanocomposite as a molluscicidal agent against B. alexandrina to decrease schistosomiasis transmission.
Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Chemigation Alternatives for Branched Broomrape (Phelipanche ramosa) Control in Processing Tomatoes
Hortscience, volume 60, pages 1058-1064
Friday 04 July 2025
Branched broomrape is an obligate parasite that can attach to the roots of a wide range of plants, particularly tomato and other agricultural crops. Interest in strategies for managing branched broomrape in processing tomatoes has been growing in California and Chile, where tomatoes are major cash crops. In Chile, branched broomrape has been spread...
Branched broomrape is an obligate parasite that can attach to the roots of a wide range of plants, particularly tomato and other agricultural crops. Interest in strategies for managing branched broomrape in processing tomatoes has been growing in California and Chile, where tomatoes are major cash crops. In Chile, branched broomrape has been spreading throughout tomato-growing regions for decades; in California, it is not yet widespread, but is a highly regulated quarantine pest. Multiple field trials were conducted in California and Chile during 2021 and 2022 to evaluate herbicide programs for crop safety and efficacy on branched broomrape. Sequential treatment approaches were based on an Israeli-developed program of preplant incorporated (PPI) sulfosulfuron, followed by several in-season chemigation treatments with imazapic. Additional treatments used imazamox or rimsulfuron as the chemigation herbicide alone or paired with PPI sulfosulfuron and a chemigated application of acibenzolar-S-methyl. In the crop safety experiments, visual phytotoxicity and yield data were recorded; in the efficacy trials, phytotoxicity and broomrape emergence data were collected. The Israeli program reduced broomrape emergence and did not injure tomatoes, but registration of imazapic for this use is unlikely in either California or Chile. In general, chemigated imazamox alone or paired with PPI sulfosulfuron reduced broomrape emergence; however, chemigated imazamox caused unacceptable crop injury in most trials at rates greater than 9.6 g a.i./ha. Three applications of chemigated rimsulfuron alone or paired with PPI sulfosulfuron reduced broomrape emergence and did not injure tomatoes. A 24(c) Special Local Needs label was approved in 2023 that allowed chemigated rimsulfuron in California tomatoes. Future research will focus on refining the rimsulfuron protocol under a wider range of production practices in California and on supporting approval of this use in Chile.
Predicting parasitic plants Loranthus Europaeus range shifts in response to climate change
Scientific Reports, volume 15
Thursday 03 July 2025
Climate change significantly influences the distribution of parasitic species, posing threats to ecosystems and economies. This study examines the potential range expansion of Loranthus europaeus, a parasitic plant impacting European forestry. We assessed the impact of predicted climate change for 2041–2060 and 2061–2080 using MaxEnt modeling b...
Climate change significantly influences the distribution of parasitic species, posing threats to ecosystems and economies. This study examines the potential range expansion of Loranthus europaeus, a parasitic plant impacting European forestry. We assessed the impact of predicted climate change for 2041–2060 and 2061–2080 using MaxEnt modeling based on current occurrence data of L. europaeus, and the main host plant genus oak Quercus, as well as bioclimatic variables. Our model demonstrated high predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.92). The most important variables for Europe range were range of Quercus genus. Key environmental factors included isothermality (bio3) and mean temperature of wettest quarter (bio8). Under SSP126 and SSP245 scenarios, our results predict significant range expansions into northern and eastern Europe, with increases of 43.5% and 53.9% by 2041–2060. Conversely, southern Europe may see contractions of 16.4–20.6%. Projections for 2061–2080 indicate further expansions up to 65.8% in northern Europe, alongside contractions up to 29.8% in southern regions, including Turkey and Greece.These shifts highlight the influence of climate change on L. europaeus distribution and underscore the need for adaptive management strategies to mitigate potential ecological and economic impacts.
Integrated omic analysis provides insights into how Cuscuta australis inhibits the growth and reproduction of Xanthium spinosum
BMC Plant Biology, volume 25
Thursday 03 July 2025
Background: Xanthium spinosum is one of the most abundant and aggressively invasive plants in the world. Cuscuta australis parasitism hinders X. spinosum growth and development by absorbing nutrients, leading to reduced reproductive performance. However, which metabolite changes contribute to stunted growth and diminished reproductive performance i...
Background: Xanthium spinosum is one of the most abundant and aggressively invasive plants in the world. Cuscuta australis parasitism hinders X. spinosum growth and development by absorbing nutrients, leading to reduced reproductive performance. However, which metabolite changes contribute to stunted growth and diminished reproductive performance in X. spinosum? Additionally, what genes regulate these metabolites? These underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Results: X. spinosum was used to determine the physiological relevance of C. australis parasitism to alleviate host plant growth and explore the molecular mechanism, with a focus on metabolic pathways. The results revealed that C. australis significantly reduced the growth potential of X. spinosum, with a particularly notable decrease in seed quantity, which decreased by 92.07%. C. australis parasitism increased the activities of the peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes in the stems of X. spinosum. Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis revealed that C. australis influenced lignin synthesis in the stem through the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway. Concurrently, the majority of differentially expressed genes in the galactose metabolism pathway were upregulated, leading to increased sugar accumulation and disrupted metabolism. Furthermore, all differentially expressed genes in the autophagy-other pathway were upregulated, resulting in excessive autophagy and a significant reduction in the reproductive performance of X. spinosum. Conclusions: The results provide a theoretical foundation for the development of targeted pesticides aimed at controlling X. spinosum.
Report on the complete organelle genomes of Orobanche Filicicola Nakai ex Hyun, Y. S. Lim & H. C. Shin (Orobanchaceae): insights from comparison with Orobanchaceae plant genomes
BMC Genomics, volume 26
Wednesday 02 July 2025
Background: Orobanche is a parasitic plant distributed in the temperate zone of Northern Hemisphere, with approximately 200 species found worldwide. In the Republic of Korea, two species of Orobanche, namely O. coerulescens Stephan ex Willd. and O. filicicola Nakai ex Hyun, Y. S. Lim & H. C. Shin, are present, with O. filicicola being endemic. Geno...
Background: Orobanche is a parasitic plant distributed in the temperate zone of Northern Hemisphere, with approximately 200 species found worldwide. In the Republic of Korea, two species of Orobanche, namely O. coerulescens Stephan ex Willd. and O. filicicola Nakai ex Hyun, Y. S. Lim & H. C. Shin, are present, with O. filicicola being endemic. Genome analysis of this species has not yet been performed, and characterizing its complete organelle genome will provide valuable insights into the phylogeny and genome evolution of parasitic plants. Results: The chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes were analyzed, revealing distinct characteristics. The chloroplast genome is 91,529 bp long with a GC content of 33.6%, containing 33 protein-coding, 30 tRNA, and 4 rRNA genes. In contrast, the mitochondrial genome is 1,058,991 bp long with a GC content of 45.5%, featuring 31 protein-coding, 16 tRNA, and 3 rRNA genes. The mitochondrial genome has over three times more simple sequence repeats and longer long repeats than the chloroplast genome. Analysis of synonymous codon usage in protein-coding genes from nine Orobanchaceae species revealed significant differences between chloroplasts and mitochondria, with codons ending in A or T exhibiting higher coding rates. Ka/Ks ratio calculations indicated that psbI and atpB had the smallest and largest ratios in chloroplasts, respectively, while ccmFC was identified as the only gene under positive selection in mitochondria genomes. Sequence alignment identified 30 homologous fragments between the two genomes, totaling 7,247 bp. Comparison of O. filicicola’s chloroplast genome with related species showed gene loss and conserved inverted repeat sequences. Numerous homologous collinear blocks were found in mitochondrial genomes of related species, but some regions lacked homology. Phylogenetic analysis indicated identical topologies for chloroplasts and mitochondria, with Orobanchaceae forming a strong monophyletic group. Conclusions: Characterizing the complete organelle genome of O. filicicola enabled a comprehensive analysis of the Orobanchaceae organelle genome, providing important baseline data for its structure and evolution.
Impact of pollution on microbiological dynamics in the pistil stigmas of Orobanche lutea flowers (Orobanchaceae)
Scientific Reports, volume 15
Wednesday 02 July 2025
Our understanding of the basic relationships of microbiota associated with flowers is still quite limited, especially regarding parasitic plant species. The transient nature of flower parts such as pistil stigmas provides a unique opportunity for temporal investigations. This is the first report of the analysis of bacterial and fungal communities a...
Our understanding of the basic relationships of microbiota associated with flowers is still quite limited, especially regarding parasitic plant species. The transient nature of flower parts such as pistil stigmas provides a unique opportunity for temporal investigations. This is the first report of the analysis of bacterial and fungal communities associated with the pistil stigmas of the lucerne parasite, Orobanche lutea. We compared the microorganism communities at different developmental stages and assessed the impact of pollution at the sampling sites. We also examined the plant growth properties (PGP) of bacteria in a culture-dependent analysis. The predominant colonizers of the pistil stigmas were Proteobacteria (99.25%), with Enterobacteriaceae (49.88%) and Pseudomonadaceae (48.28%) being the major families. The prevalent fungal phylum was Basidiomycota (71.64%), with Filobasidiales (33.14%) and Tremellales (27.27%) as dominant orders. Microbial populations in polluted area showed increased bacterial and fungal diversity. Mature stigmas exhibited greater microbial variety compared to immature ones. We found higher fungal than bacteria abundance at both polluted and unpolluted sites. In culture-dependent analysis, immature stigmas from unpolluted area had the least bacterial morphotypes. Identified culturable bacteria represented the Acinetobacter, Erwinia, Micrococcus, Oceanobacillus, Pantoea, Pseudomonas, Serratia, and Staphylococcus genera. The assessment of PGP traits revealed multiple strains with plant growth-promoting potential. Microbial composition varied between polluted and unpolluted sites and was influenced by the flower’s developmental stage.
Elucidating the evolutionary dynamics of parasitism in Cuscuta: in-depth phylogenetic reconstruction and extensive plastomes reduction
BMC Genomics, volume 26
Wednesday 02 July 2025
Background: The genus Cuscuta L. (Convolvulaceae), commonly known as dodder, is a holoparasite plant that relies on host plants for nutrition, leading to significant genomic changes, particularly in plastomes. This dependency has led to significant reductions and modifications in their plastomes compared to autotrophic plants. In contrast to the we...
Background: The genus Cuscuta L. (Convolvulaceae), commonly known as dodder, is a holoparasite plant that relies on host plants for nutrition, leading to significant genomic changes, particularly in plastomes. This dependency has led to significant reductions and modifications in their plastomes compared to autotrophic plants. In contrast to the well-conserved plastomes of photosynthetic plants, Cuscuta exhibits substantial genomic reductions reflecting the loss of photosynthetic functions and associated genes. Result: This study examines eight plastomes within Cuscuta and reconstructs the phylogenetic relationships among 40 Cuscuta taxa using five other genera as an outgroup. The size of plastid genome varies significantly, with the smallest being 60 kb and the largest 121 kb, highlighting extensive genomic reduction. In special cases, the subgenera Cuscuta exhibit the loss of inverted repeats, distinguishing from them other subge within the Cuscuta genus. This reduction is most pronounced in genes related to photosynthesis, such as atp, pet, psa, psb, and ycf genes, particularly in the subg. Grammica (Lour.) Peter. The study also notes the frequent and independent loss of the plastid genes infA, rpl23, rpl32, rps15, and rps16 across various angiosperm lineages, often involving transfer to the nuclear genome. In parasitic plants like Cuscuta, the ndh genes, crucial for photosynthesis, are often lost. The study also highlights that in the subg. Grammica, the matK and rpo genes, along with trnR-ACG genes, are lost in parallel, indicating that these parasitic plants do not need matK and rpo genes after the loss of ndh genes for survival. Analysis of selective relaxation pressure on plastid genes shows a reductive trend, with genes such as atp, pet, psa, psb, rpo, and ycf progressively becoming pseudogenes over time, with housekeeping genes like rpl and rps expected to follow. However, the pseudogenization process is specific to the subg. Grammica, Pachystigma (Engelm.) Baker & C.H.Wright, and Cuscuta, rather than in the subg. Monogynella (Des Moul.) Peter, Engl. & Prantl (ancient clade species). Conclusion: The study of Cuscuta plastomes reveals the profound impact of parasitism on genome evolution, highlighting the complex interplay of gene retention and loss through phylogenomic approaches. This research enriches our understanding of plant genome evolution and the intricate host-parasite relationships. It also sheds light on the evolutionary history and genomic adaptations of Cuscuta, illustrating the diverse strategies enabling subg. Grammica, Pachystigma, Cuscuta, and Monogynella thrive as parasitic species. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying parasitism and its impact on plastid genome organization.
Potassium silicate and/or silicate-solubilizing bacteria stimulate Cuscuta campestris germination but mitigate oxidative stress induced by it on Guizotia abyssinica
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, volume 227
Tuesday 01 July 2025
Environmental and economic considerations have heightened interest in silicate-solubilizing bacteria (SSB) as an alternative to silicon nanoparticles in agricultural crop production. However, related research has not considered the response of weeds to silicon. This study, conducted at three levels: laboratory, greenhouse, and field, examines wheth...
Environmental and economic considerations have heightened interest in silicate-solubilizing bacteria (SSB) as an alternative to silicon nanoparticles in agricultural crop production. However, related research has not considered the response of weeds to silicon. This study, conducted at three levels: laboratory, greenhouse, and field, examines whether K<inf>2</inf>SiO<inf>3</inf> and/or SSB affect the seed germination of dodder and niger, as well as their parasitic relationship. In the laboratory, a germination test was performed for each species with and without 1 mM K<inf>2</inf>SiO<inf>3</inf> or 0.1 % v/v SSB. In the greenhouse and field studies, niger was grown with and without dodder, K<inf>2</inf>SiO<inf>3</inf>, or SSB. Combined use of K<inf>2</inf>SiO<inf>3</inf>+SSB synergistically increased seed germination for niger and dodder by 12.3 and 142.6 %, while accelerating the process by 39.5 and 43.6 %, respectively. The invasion of dodder, when paired with K<inf>2</inf>SiO<inf>3</inf> and/or SSB, significantly increased the activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in niger. Untreated niger contained 213.6 mg silicon kg<sup>−1</sup> dry weight. Dodder alone reduced it by 38.5 %, but when combined with K<inf>2</inf>SiO<inf>3</inf>+SSB, a 2.2-fold increase in the silicon content of niger occurred. Dodder-parasitized niger treated with K<inf>2</inf>SiO<inf>3</inf>+SSB exhibited over a 3-fold increase in lignin content and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity. The highest emergence of dodder was recorded when SSB was used alone or in combination with K<inf>2</inf>SiO<inf>3</inf>. Although dodder-parasitized niger treated with K<inf>2</inf>SiO<inf>3</inf>+SSB experienced more infestation due to the increased emergence of dodder, it yielded a higher seed than untreated niger, indicating a mitigated oxidative stress induced by dodder in niger through both physical and biochemical mechanisms.
Reverse traceability analysis of estrogenic active ingredients in Cuscutae semen based on intestinal and hepatic metabolism
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, volume 260
Tuesday 01 July 2025
As a traditional Chinese medicine for reinforcing kidney, Cuscutae semen can be applied in regulating the level of estrogen. And nine direct-acting substances in vivo with estrogenic effect has been figured out according to our previous research. However, their transformation relationship and the prototype forms of some metabolites are still not cl...
As a traditional Chinese medicine for reinforcing kidney, Cuscutae semen can be applied in regulating the level of estrogen. And nine direct-acting substances in vivo with estrogenic effect has been figured out according to our previous research. However, their transformation relationship and the prototype forms of some metabolites are still not clear, impeding the elucidation of the effective substances of Cuscutae semen. In this study, to reveal the metabolic pathways of nine direct-acting substances in vivo, the hepatic and intestinal metabolism of nine monomer components from Cuscutae semen were investigated using liver microsomes of female rats and intestinal flora in ovariectomized rats. Based on ultra performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOFMS) method, a total of 35 hepatic metabolites and three intestinal metabolites were tentatively identified respectively. The proposed metabolic pathways of main metabolites were discussed. Glucuronidation binding reactions played a dominant role in the hepatic metabolism. While in the intestinal metabolism, flavonoid glycosides were hydrolyzed into the aglycones without further phase II metabolic reaction. According to the achievements above, a reverse traceability analysis of the direct-acting substances in vivo was conducted, and the metabolic transformation relationship between the components was clarified except for methylated quercetin glucuronide. It is tentatively speculated that kaempferol, quercetin, apigenin, hyperin, astragalin and isoquercitrin in Cuscutae semen are potential estrogenic effective substances, which can be used as reference for quality control.
Insecticidal applications of nickel/nickel oxide nanocrystals prepared using cuscuta reflexa plant
International Journal of Modern Physics B, volume 39
Tuesday 01 July 2025
Herein, we report the biosynthesis of Ni/NiO nanocrystals (NCs) using cuscuta reflexa (Amarvel) plant material. The formation of nickel (Ni) NCs was confirmed through numerous procedures viz. X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis., SEM-EDX and TEM. The prepared Ni/NiO nanoparticles were regular/irregular cube shape with average cube length of 150–200nm...
Herein, we report the biosynthesis of Ni/NiO nanocrystals (NCs) using cuscuta reflexa (Amarvel) plant material. The formation of nickel (Ni) NCs was confirmed through numerous procedures viz. X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis., SEM-EDX and TEM. The prepared Ni/NiO nanoparticles were regular/irregular cube shape with average cube length of 150–200nm calculated using the TEM technique. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis showed the presence of chemicals from cuscuta reflexa extract. The synthesized Ni/NiO NCs solution was tested against storage grain pests as well as against mosquito larvae. It was observed that NPs were very effective against the storage grain pests (wheat weevil and red flour beetles). The effect of concentrations/dose was also studied along with varied times of action for the larvicidal effect of the as-prepared Ni/NiO NCs solution. The positive results from this study will certainly open new doors for the development of nanoNi-based green pesticides.
A fermented Mistletoe (Viscum album L.) extract elicits markers characteristic for immunogenic cell death driven by endoplasmic reticulum stress in vitro
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, volume 25
Monday 30 June 2025
Background: Immune evasion is a characteristic hallmark of cancer. Immunotherapies aim to activate and support the body's immune system to recognize and fight tumor cells. Induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD) and the associated activation of danger signaling pathways can increase the immunogenicity of tumor cells. Therapeutic ICD stimuli activ...
Background: Immune evasion is a characteristic hallmark of cancer. Immunotherapies aim to activate and support the body's immune system to recognize and fight tumor cells. Induction of immunogenic cell death (ICD) and the associated activation of danger signaling pathways can increase the immunogenicity of tumor cells. Therapeutic ICD stimuli activate endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways and apoptosis leading to the cellular expression of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). The aim of our in vitro study was to investigate whether mistletoe extracts induce characteristics of immunogenic tumor cell death in cancer cell lines. Methods: Three human breast cancer cell lines and one murine melanoma cell line (SKBR3, MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and B16F10) were treated with aqueous, fermented Viscum album extract (VAE: Iscador Qu spec.) and taxol or tunicamycin as positive controls, respectively. To investigate whether VAE induces ribotoxic stress, we measured the ER stress regulators p-eIF2a, ATF4, and CHOP by Western blot. Cell surface exposure of DAMPs (calreticulin, heat shock proteins hsp70 and hsp90), apoptosis and induction of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed by flow cytometry. HMGB1 and ATP were quantified by ELISA and chemiluminescence assay, respectively. Results: Treatment with VAE resulted in phosphorylation of eIF2α in all cancer cell lines tested and increased calreticulin (CRT) exposure on the surface of pre-apoptotic SKBR3 breast cancer and B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. VAE exerted a concentration-dependent effect in all cell lines, resulting in a significantly increased exposure of three DAMPs (CRT, hsp70 and hsp90) on the surface of early apoptotic cells. Furthermore, VAE elevated mitochondrial ROS production and the release of ATP. HMGB1 release was not induced by VAE. Conclusions: In this in vitro study, we demonstrated for the first time the potential of a mistletoe extract to induce surrogate markers of immunogenic cancer cell death. This is a primary step in investigating the potential of VAEs to contribute to ICD-induced tumor-specific immune activation.
Parallel but different deaths: sudden drought-trigged mortality in Scots pine versus slow climate- and mistletoe-driven mortality in silver fir
Forest Ecology and Management, volume 590
Monday 30 June 2025
In recent decades, forest die-off events have increased worldwide due to warmer droughts, with Southwestern Europe emerging as a mortality hotspot. This region is notably affected by widespread decline and die-off episodes, particularly in mountain forests dominated by Abies alba (silver fir) and Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine). We study four stands ...
In recent decades, forest die-off events have increased worldwide due to warmer droughts, with Southwestern Europe emerging as a mortality hotspot. This region is notably affected by widespread decline and die-off episodes, particularly in mountain forests dominated by Abies alba (silver fir) and Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine). We study four stands (two Scots pine, two silver fir) showing ongoing die-off in the Spanish Pyrenees, near the southwestern edge of both species’ distributions. Our objectives were to analyze growth patterns of declining trees in mortality hotspots, and to study the climatic (drought) and biotic (mistletoe) factors contributing to this decline. Using dendroecological methods and a recently developed change-point analysis approach, we assessed differences in growth patterns at stand and individual tree levels. Results showed that mortality events were recent, especially for Scots pine. Although mortality patterns were tree-specific, Scots pine typically exhibited a sudden growth decline before death or a sudden mortality without prior growth decline, whereas silver fir generally showed gradual and prolonged growth decline preceding mortality. Drought and elevated temperatures were the primary triggers for Scots pine and the warmer-drier silver fir site, with secondary contributors such as historical management and microsite conditions (soil, aspect, slope, moisture, density, size, age, competition). Conversely, in the colder-wetter silver fir site, mistletoe was the sole driver of decline and mortality. These findings highlight the complex interplay of primary and secondary stressors underlying forest die-off.
Hardware performance analysis for deep learning-based mistletoe detection in UAV imagery
Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, volume 237
Sunday 29 June 2025
Deep learning (DL) has become indispensable in applications like computer vision and ecological data analysis, where timely and accurate insights can significantly impact environmental conservation and agricultural productivity. Invasive species, such as mistletoe, pose a global threat to forestry and commercial agriculture by weakening host trees,...
Deep learning (DL) has become indispensable in applications like computer vision and ecological data analysis, where timely and accurate insights can significantly impact environmental conservation and agricultural productivity. Invasive species, such as mistletoe, pose a global threat to forestry and commercial agriculture by weakening host trees, reducing biodiversity, and impairing ecosystem services. This study evaluates the performance of various hardware configurations for training convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to detect mistletoe in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery. Using a ResNet-34 architecture, we compare four platforms: High-Performance Workstation (HiPWS), Mid-Range Desktop with Intel (MRD-Intel), Mid-Range Desktop with AMD (MRD-AMD), and Consumer-Grade Laptop (CGL). Metrics such as configuration, training, and validation times were recorded to assess computational efficiency across configurations, including the impact of hyperthreading (HT) and virtualization. Results indicate that disabling HT consistently reduced training times across all platforms, particularly for non-CGL setups. While HiPWS excelled in CPU-intensive tasks, CGL demonstrated superior GPU performance for short-term workloads. Importantly, cost-effective solutions like MRD-AMD proved capable of handling moderate training tasks without significant performance trade-offs. The findings offer actionable insights for optimizing DL workflows in agriculture and forestry, facilitating the development of scalable and sustainable solutions to detect and mitigate invasive species globally.
Shining a new light on parasitic plants: resistance to invasion
New Phytologist, volume 247, pages 470-476
Sunday 29 June 2025
Parasitic plants, those that directly acquire resources from other plants, are distributed across all biomes on earth. They can be restricted to a single host, or they can be generalists, but with preferences. Tristerix corymbosus (Loranthaceae) is a native generalist hemiparasite in Chile but infests many nonnative tree species and appears to supp...
Parasitic plants, those that directly acquire resources from other plants, are distributed across all biomes on earth. They can be restricted to a single host, or they can be generalists, but with preferences. Tristerix corymbosus (Loranthaceae) is a native generalist hemiparasite in Chile but infests many nonnative tree species and appears to suppress them more than its native hosts, indicating its potential to provide substantial ecological resistance. These patterns suggest the novel phenomenon of native hemiparasite host switching from slow-growing native hosts to fast-growing nonnatives, which may provide substantial biotic resistance to invasion, but they also have fascinating ecological, physiological, and evolutionary implications. For example, resistance to invasion contrasts with traditional views of parasitic plants as forest plagues. Instead, Tristerix may function in invaded forests as a keystone species with negative direct effects on invaders and positive indirect interactions with natives. The negative effects of Tristerix on nonnative species provide a more complete understanding of the various roles native parasitic plants can have in resistance to invasion.
Parasitic Plants on X [fka Twitter]
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