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.

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Upcoming: The 18th World Congress On Parasitic Plants (WCPP): 14-20 June 2026, Ilhabela, Brasil.

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Cistanche tubulosa

Cuscuta reflexa

Cynomorium coccineum

Cytinus hypocistis

Viscum album

Phoradendron sp.

Orobanche hederae

Orobanche kochii

Conopholis americana

Pholisma arenarium

Lathraea clandestina (Purple toothwort)

Aphyllon californica

Arceuthobium oxicedrii

Buchnera americana

Striga hermonthica

Orobanche crenata

Pedicularis resupinata

Phelipanche aegyptiaca

Agalinis sp.

Castilleja sp.

Scybalium fungiforme (Balanophoraceae, Santalales)

Cuscuta campestris

Cuscuta monogyna

Phelipanche ramosa

Orobanche crenata

Cuscuta monogyna on Ziziphus spina-christi

Orobanche teucrii

Orobanche gracilis

Cuscuta gronovii

Euphrasia cf. salisburgensis

Castilleja cf. chromosa

Lindenbergia muraria

Rhinanthus cf. serotinus

Viscum cruciatum

Striga hermonthica on sorghum in a rhizotron

Boulardia macrolepis

Dasistoma macrophylla

Aeginetia indica on Setaria

Striga gesnerioides Indigo (Florida) strain

Lathraea squamaria

Cistanche phelypaea

Cistanche violacea

Orobanche minor on clover in Japan

Orobanche cumana on sunflower in Israel

Phelipanche nana on Oxalis pes-caprae

Orobanche crenata on pea near Gesher Haziv (ISR)

Orobanche pallidiflora

Orobanche bartlingii

Orobanche lutea

Orobanche alba

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Most recent ‘Parasitic Plant’ publications

on the Web

Cryptic lineages and morphological stasis in a rare genus of mycoheterotrophic plants A Gill - 2025 - rave.ohiolink.edu Friday 09 May 2025 Parasitic plants offer compelling case studies on this topic due to their severe morphological reductions and their obligate reliance on other organisms for establishment domain : rave.ohiolink.edu
Starting strong: development and biomechanics of the seedling-host interaction in European mistletoe (Viscum album) L Teixeira-Costa, L Wiese, T Speck… - Journal of Experimental …, 2025 - academic.oup.com Thursday 08 May 2025 Aerial parasitic plants depend even more on a strong attachment, as is the case for parasitic vines Cuscuta spp. (Convolvulaceae) and the mistletoe Viscum album ( domain : academic.oup.com versions : 2
irst Report of Orobanche aegyptiaca Parasitism on Peanut in Southern Xinjiang, China N Zhao, Z Abuduxiti, Y Lin, S Qiang - Plant Disease, 2025 - Am Phytopath Society Thursday 08 May 2025 Of the broomrapes haustoria to the peanut host roots. A total of 10 putative broomrape Molecular and morphological analyses strongly support that the broomrape species domain : apsjournals.apsnet.org
Unveiling the evolutionary association of vitamin E, chlorophyll, and PSII through parasitic plants L Jené, S Munné-Bosch - Plant Physiology, 2025 - academic.oup.com Tuesday 06 May 2025 The evolution of parasitic plants has been marked by a , and chlorophyll content in parasitic plants, with -tocopherol photoprotection as revealed through parasitic plants. domain : academic.oup.com versions : 2
Assessing α-galactosidase OmAGAL2 inhibitors and their impact on germination and sugar profiles in Orobanche minor O Masahiro, W Takatoshi, O Takumi… - 日本農薬学会誌 …, 2025 - cir.nii.ac.jp Tuesday 06 May 2025 Root parasitic weeds from the Orobanche genus significantly In Orobanche minor, -galactosidase OmAGAL2 novel class of chemicals for controlling Orobanche spp. domain : cir.nii.ac.jp
omandra dolichoclada (Asparagaceae: Lomandroideae), a new species from northern Queensland, Australia J Wang - Brittonia, 2025 - Springer Monday 05 May 2025 Lomandra dolichoclada (Asparagaceae: Lomandroideae), a new species from northern Queensland, Australia, is described, illustrated, and compared to its closest relative domain : link.springer.com
arasitic plants are models for examining global food security, biodiversity loss and host–parasite evolution, in achanging world R Steven, W Susann, T Chris - ir-library.ku.ac.ke Sunday 04 May 2025 Parasitic plants devastate crop productivity around the world, threatening food and nutritional security for millions. In this special issue of Plants People, Planet, we provide domain : ir-library.ku.ac.ke
Evaluation of the Nematicidal Activity of Cuscuta reflexa Collected over Nerium oleander against Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne javanica SRF Zaidi, MA Versiani, E Iqbal… - ACS Agricultural Science …, 2025 - ACS Publications Sunday 04 May 2025 This study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the nematicidal efficacy of Cuscuta reflexa, a parasitic plant, as a safe and economical natural alternative to harmful domain : pubs.acs.org
Silicon supplementation mitigates the effects of infestation of corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) F Shameen, I Gulzar, AH Wani, MA Malik, I Rashid… - Phytoparasitica, 2025 - Springer Sunday 04 May 2025 Corn leaf aphid, Rhopaloshium maidis Fitch (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a prevalent maize pest, causing significant yield losses by affecting all crop stages. To mitigate domain : link.springer.com
hylogenetic reassessment and epitypification of Exobasidium vexans causing blister blight of tea GD Sinniah, DCM Kulatunga, AK Pandey… - Australasian Plant …, 2025 - Springer Saturday 03 May 2025 Exobasidium vexans is an important tropical phytopathogenic fungus that causes blister blight in tea. Despite its devastating impact on tea cultivation, this pathogen domain : link.springer.com
Aluminum accumulation in mosses from the Brazilian savanna: a comparative study of two species revealing similar traits to vascular plants MF Oliveira, ÍA Arriola, GH Rodrigues-Mattos, FD Torre… - Planta, 2025 - Springer Friday 02 May 2025 Main conclusion Mosses from the Brazilian savanna accumulate aluminum (Al) and exhibit mechanisms similar to vascular plants, but different species use distinct domain : link.springer.com versions : 2
Breeding Methods: Limitations and Achievements in Faba Beans S Singh, S Kumawat, SGPK Reddy, A Singh… - Faba …, 2025 - researchgate.net Friday 02 May 2025 Despite these challenges, notable achievements include the development of Orobanche-tolerant and disease-resistant varieties. Exotic varieties have also contributed to domain : www.researchgate.net
escription of Iranimermis singular gen. n., sp. n. (Nematoda: Mermithidae) from Iran, a new member of the family G Niknam, N Vazifeh, NB Camino, B Ahmadi - Biologia, 2025 - Springer Thursday 01 May 2025 A new genus and new species of the family Mermithidae, named as Iranimermis singular gen. n., sp. n. is described from rangelands in the Divandarreh, Kordestan domain : link.springer.com
Enhancing copper toxicity against Saprolegnia parasitica, a devastating oomycete pathogen in aquaculture TH Ogunwa, MG Thornhill, D Ledezma… - Discover Applied …, 2025 - Springer Wednesday 30 April 2025 Saprolegnia parasitica is an oomycete pathogen responsible for saprolegniasis diseases that result in large production losses in the catfish and salmon aquaculture domain : link.springer.com
A survey on fungal leaf diseases of date palm in Iran A Shekariesfahlan, MR Eslahi, MR Mirzaee… - Indian …, 2025 - Springer Wednesday 30 April 2025 Over the last decade, leaf blight has emerged as the most important disease affecting date palms in Iran and has led to a decrease in date production. During 20162019, domain : link.springer.com

Most recent 'Parasitic Plant' publications

in Scopus

Mistletoe (Viscum album L.) for human papillomavirus: A seven-case series: Mistletoe for HPV Nilo E. Gardin, Beatriz Gardin-Machado Phytomedicine Plus, volume 5 Friday 09 May 2025 Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a significant public health concern, as 50 % of the population are at risk of being infected by this virus at least once in their lifetime. Although the host immune system clears most infections, a small percentage of patients do not fully clear genital HPV. They have an increased risk of developing HPV-ass... Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a significant public health concern, as 50 % of the population are at risk of being infected by this virus at least once in their lifetime. Although the host immune system clears most infections, a small percentage of patients do not fully clear genital HPV. They have an increased risk of developing HPV-associated cancers and can transmit HPV. Currently, no conventional treatments are available to eliminate the virus in HPV carriers. Cases presentation: This study describes the clinical evolution of seven consecutive outpatients with HPV treated with Viscum album extract (VAE). In four patients, the persistence of HPV infection was six months or longer (in two of these patients, it had persisted for 22 months); in three patients, the diagnosis was recent. The patients were treated with topical (vaginal) VAE. For those with high-risk HPV or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, subcutaneous injections of VAE were administered. Calendula officinalis (vaginal ovules) was prescribed for genital inflammation, and Thuja occidentalis ointment for verrucous lesions. Clinical and laboratory parameters were monitored throughout the treatment. All medications were well tolerated, with only mild skin reactions reported at the VAE injection site. Following treatment, six out of seven patients had negative hybrid capture tests for HPV. One of these six patients required a repeat course of treatment, after which the HPV hybrid capture test turned negative. In one patient, treatment failed to eradicate HPV. Conclusions: Although this case series has a small sample size, there is a therapeutic potential to be further investigated regarding VAE for genital HPV. The treatment needs to be validated by future studies, which should be followed by a clinical trial to rigorously assess the efficacy of mistletoe for genital HPV infection.
Grass and woody species composition and diversity beneath mistletoe-infected and uninfected Sclerocarya birrea (marula) trees in two South African semi-arid savanna protected areas Tsitsi Sithandiwe Maponga, Hilton Garikai Taambuka Ndagurwa, Dave I. Thompson, Justice Muvengwi, Wayne Twine, Mightyman Mashele, Ed T.F. Witkowski South African Journal of Botany, volume 180, pages 63-73 Thursday 08 May 2025 Mistletoes increase understorey resource heterogeneity by altering animal visitations, litterfall, and soil moisture, thus support diverse understorey plants. However, their impact on understorey species composition and diversity in protected areas with small to large-sized herbivores remains unclear. We compared grass and woody species under mistl... Mistletoes increase understorey resource heterogeneity by altering animal visitations, litterfall, and soil moisture, thus support diverse understorey plants. However, their impact on understorey species composition and diversity in protected areas with small to large-sized herbivores remains unclear. We compared grass and woody species under mistletoe-uninfected and infected marula (Sclerocarya birrea subsp. caffra) trees in the Sabie and Sabi Sand Game Reserves, with differing mean annual rainfall, 500 mm and 610 mm, respectively. Species composition varied slightly between sites and with infection level. Total species evenness was 8% higher in the wetter site, where woody species diversity indices were up to 52% higher. In contrast, grass species richness and diversity were up to 33% higher in the drier site. Functional dissimilarity (FDis), Functional divergence (FDiv), and Rao's quadratic entropy (RaoQ) were up to 23% higher in the wetter site. Infected trees had 4% greater total cover abundance, and 32% higher woody species richness than uninfected trees. Additionally, eight woody and five grass species were exclusive to infected trees, compared to two woody and three grass species under uninfected trees indicating mistletoephily. RaoQ was 8% lower beneath uninfected than infected trees. Tree height significantly influenced total cover abundance and evenness and grass species richness and evenness. Overall, rainfall had a greater effect than mistletoe infection on understorey plants, suggesting moisture limitations and that mistletoe effects are additive. Thus, by enhancing resource availability and supporting mistletoephily, the interaction of mistletoes with other factors such as rainfall influence plant heterogeneity in these low-altitude semi-arid savannas.
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 Sang Chul Kim, Eun Su Kang, Tae Hee Kim, Ye Rim Choi, Hyuk Jin Kim BMC Genomics, volume 26 Wednesday 07 May 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.
Quantum mechanics-based structural analysis of phenolic glycosides from Cuscuta japonica seeds with protective effects against H<inf>2</inf>O<inf>2</inf>-induced oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y cells Hau Thi Hong Bui, Ajay Uprety, Trung Huy Ngo, Yun Seo Kil, Punam Thapa, Jongseo Mo, Hyukjae Choi, Soo Young Kim, Joo Won Nam Phytochemistry, volume 234 Tuesday 06 May 2025 Japanese dodder (Cuscuta japonica Choisy) is a parasitic plant with diverse pharmaceutical properties that has demonstrated great promise for the development of dietary supplements and herbal medicines. A systematic phytochemical investigation of dodder seeds yielded 12 previously undescribed aromatic glycosides (1−12) and eight known constituent... Japanese dodder (Cuscuta japonica Choisy) is a parasitic plant with diverse pharmaceutical properties that has demonstrated great promise for the development of dietary supplements and herbal medicines. A systematic phytochemical investigation of dodder seeds yielded 12 previously undescribed aromatic glycosides (1−12) and eight known constituents (13−20) from various groups, including phenolics, flavonoids, and lignan glycosides. Compound structures were determined using a combination of high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Moreover, quantum mechanics-driven 1H iterative full spin analysis revealed intricate NMR spectral details for the isolated glycosides, including multiplicities and coupling constants that were previously ambiguous, providing crucial insight into the presence of higher-order resonance effects in the sugar units as well as long-range couplings in unsaturated molecules. Furthermore, the abilities of the plant extract as well as compounds 1, 2, 4–7, 10, 11, and 14–20 to restore cell viability and reduce reactive oxygen species production in SH-SY5Y cells suggest that C. japonica and its isolates are potential antioxidant neuroprotective therapeutic candidates.
Elucidating the evolutionary dynamics of parasitism in Cuscuta: in-depth phylogenetic reconstruction and extensive plastomes reduction Sivagami Jean Claude, Kashish Kamra, Joonhyung Jung, Hye One Kim, Joo Hwan Kim BMC Genomics, volume 26 Monday 05 May 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.
Mistletoe on urban trees in the city of Vienna, Austria Yuliia Bilonozhko, Olha Tokarieva, Berthold Heinze, Jonathan Feichter, Andrea Kodym Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, volume 107 Sunday 04 May 2025 A study of mistletoe on urban trees was conducted in Vienna, Austria, with the aim to determine the degree of mistletoe infection, and to identify host species that are highly susceptible or alternatively, resistant to mistletoe parasitism. At the same time, the dependence of mistletoe (Loranthus europaeus L; Viscum album L) occurrence on various f... A study of mistletoe on urban trees was conducted in Vienna, Austria, with the aim to determine the degree of mistletoe infection, and to identify host species that are highly susceptible or alternatively, resistant to mistletoe parasitism. At the same time, the dependence of mistletoe (Loranthus europaeus L; Viscum album L) occurrence on various factors was investigated. For this purpose, the tree cadastre of the city of Vienna was evaluated (the record is about 213,841 trees) and the Botanic Garden of the University of Vienna was visited. New host trees, not known in the literature, were described for the first time. The apparent spreading of mistletoes cannot be traced to a single factor; several are important and interacting. It could be shown that the presence of mistletoe in cities is closely related to the species of host tree, the location, the growing density of the trees, the age of the trees, as well as tree height. The host trees often showed marked adaptation of native tree species to mistletoe (i.e., fewer infections) and significant infection in introduced tree species. In some species, certain cultivars may be resistant or less susceptible to mistletoe than others. Among the damage or diseases observed on trees infected by mistletoe, bark damage occurred most frequently. Determining the distribution of mistletoe and the underlying factors is of great importance for green space management in cities, especially in relation to climate change.
Impact of pollution on microbiological dynamics in the pistil stigmas of Orobanche lutea flowers (Orobanchaceae) Karolina Wiśniewska, Sebastian Wojciech Przemieniecki, Krzysztof Krawczyk, Anna Hoffmann, Renata Piwowarczyk Scientific Reports, volume 15 Saturday 03 May 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.
Reverse traceability analysis of estrogenic active ingredients in Cuscutae semen based on intestinal and hepatic metabolism Xiangming Sun, Mingyao Zhao, Wei Liang, Hui Song, Zhongyuan Qu, Liyang Sui, Wenlan Li Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, volume 260 Saturday 03 May 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.
The community perception of mistletoe management for Vachellia woodlands conservation:A case study in AlUla county, Saudi Arabia Hazem S. Kassem, Thobayet S. Alshahrani, Abdulaziz M. Assaeed, Ayman A. Abdulkarem, Lourens van Essen, László Patkó, Ahmed M. Abd-ElGawad Trees, Forests and People, volume 20 Friday 02 May 2025 The woodlands in arid regions are considered very important ecosystems that provide various ecological and economic services. The sustainable management programs for this ecosystem, such as mistletoe interventions relies on integrating socio-cultural valuations of ecosystem services with ecological assessments. However, limited research has been co... The woodlands in arid regions are considered very important ecosystems that provide various ecological and economic services. The sustainable management programs for this ecosystem, such as mistletoe interventions relies on integrating socio-cultural valuations of ecosystem services with ecological assessments. However, limited research has been conducted on community perceptions of mistletoe management. This study aims to determine the perceptions of the community in the AlUla county, Saudi Arabia, regarding the effect of mistletoe (Plicosepalus acaciae) on Vachellia woodlands and the current status of management practices, implemented and suggested for co-management with relevant authorities. An analytical framework was designed to analyze community-based management across three main areas: perception of mistletoe, the extent of its spread, and approaches to its management. Through a combination of field observations, tree surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions, the study offers valuable insights into the effects of mistletoe and management strategies. The empirical findings reveal that the local community has a stronger perception of mistletoe's adverse effects on trees, infection levels in wadis (valleys), and its transmission between trees compared to pastoralists. Most of the local community has observed mistletoe for 15–20 years, confirming the infection's progression over time. The study findings also revealed that, historically, the community has managed mistletoe in different ways, including feeding it to camels, using it in traditional medicine, and harvesting it for therapeutic purposes. The community has offered promising suggestions to enhance mistletoe control efforts, such as collaborating with pharmaceutical companies to develop business plans for mistletoe collection, conducting experiments to evaluate its potential as animal feed, and providing incentives to encourage mechanical control methods. A deeper understanding of community perceptions offers valuable insights for policymakers in decision-making and the design of collaborative mistletoe management plans.
Phenology of Psittacanthus palmeri (Loranthaceae), a deciduous mistletoe, and its host Bursera fagaroides Mónica E. Queijeiro-Bolaños, Israel G. Carrillo-Angeles, Mónica Cervantes-Jiménez, Humberto Suzán-Azpiri Flora: Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, volume 326 Friday 02 May 2025 Deciduousness is a common trait among plants inhabiting semi-arid regions; however, this foliar habit is rare in mistletoes and has not been documented in tropical species. In Central Mexico, Psittacanthus palmeri parasitizes Bursera fagaroides trees. Both species share similar characteristics, such as shedding their leaves during the dry season an... Deciduousness is a common trait among plants inhabiting semi-arid regions; however, this foliar habit is rare in mistletoes and has not been documented in tropical species. In Central Mexico, Psittacanthus palmeri parasitizes Bursera fagaroides trees. Both species share similar characteristics, such as shedding their leaves during the dry season and having notably similar fruit morphology. To document the deciduous habit of P. palmeri and investigate whether its phenophases align with those of B. fagaroides, we evaluated the phenological changes of both species over the course of one year. Additionally, we compared the mean fruit size of both species to evaluate their morphological similarity. Both species exhibit a leafless phase during the dry season, although B. fagaroides's leafless period is more extended. Their flowering phenophases differ: B. fagaroides flowers during the dry season with an intermediate duration and mid-synchronic timing, while P. palmeri flowers during the rainy season with an extended duration and non-synchronous timing. The fruiting phase for Bursera is extended, synchronous, and even forming aerial seed bank. In contrast, the fruiting phase of P. palmeri is extended (but not more than six months), occurs during autumn-winter, and is non-synchronous. The fruits of both species are very similar in size (t = 1.086, d.f. = 118, p = 0.279) and color, suggesting they may share disperser birds, potentially enhancing seed dispersal for both species. However, this hypothesis requires further research. P. palmeri is a poorly studied mistletoe, and its unique features, such as deciduous habit, inconspicuous nature and a possible mimicry of the host, opens new opportunities of research.
Transforming parasitic weeds into sustainable natural dyes: A study of wool dyeing with Orobanche plant extract Sahereh Sepahi, Hossein Barani, Faezeh Khazaee Cleaner Engineering and Technology, volume 26 Thursday 01 May 2025 This study investigates the use of Orobanche plant extract, a parasitic weed that negatively impacts crops, as an innovative and sustainable natural dye for wool fibers. This dual-purpose approach seeks to repurpose an agricultural nuisance into a valuable dye source, thereby addressing the environmental challenges associated with synthetic dyes. T... This study investigates the use of Orobanche plant extract, a parasitic weed that negatively impacts crops, as an innovative and sustainable natural dye for wool fibers. This dual-purpose approach seeks to repurpose an agricultural nuisance into a valuable dye source, thereby addressing the environmental challenges associated with synthetic dyes. The research examines the effects of dyeing conditions and various metal mordants on the color characteristics, fastness properties, and mechanical performance of the dyed wool. The selection of the Orobanche plant is supported by its rich content of phenylpropanoid glycosides, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, which offer a wide range of colors. UV–Vis spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of key chromophores, indicating the extract's suitability for dyeing applications. Comprehensive color assessment and fastness evaluation demonstrated the influence of factors such as pH, mordant type, and dye concentration on color strength and hue angle. Fastness properties showed that copper mordant provided the best light fastness, while aluminum was the least effective. Mechanical analysis showed that tin mordant significantly reduced fiber tenacity due to its impact on disulfide bonds, whereas aluminum and iron mordants had minimal effects on strength. This research establishes Orobanche extract as an eco-friendly dye source that, when optimized, can produce wool textiles with desirable color properties, durability, and mechanical integrity. The findings promote sustainable dyeing practices by transforming a problematic weed into an eco-conscious alternative to synthetic dyes, contributing to environmental conservation and waste reduction.
Characterization of the combining ability of maize inbred lines containing temperate germplasm using Striga-resistant testers Dorcas Adekunle, Wende Mengesha, Ayodeji Abe, Silvestro Meseka, Bossey Bunmi, Abebe Menkir Euphytica, volume 221 Thursday 01 May 2025 Temperate maize inbred lines are potential sources of desirable alleles for tropical germplasm improvement. To date, the benefit of the temperate inbred lines as a potential source of beneficial alleles for Striga hermonthica resistance breeding to enhance genetic gain in tropical maize has not been fully exploited. This study was conducted to defi... Temperate maize inbred lines are potential sources of desirable alleles for tropical germplasm improvement. To date, the benefit of the temperate inbred lines as a potential source of beneficial alleles for Striga hermonthica resistance breeding to enhance genetic gain in tropical maize has not been fully exploited. This study was conducted to define the heterotic resemblances of the temperate inbred lines using two tropical testers and determine the impact of the temperate inbred lines when used as a parent to improve economically important agronomic traits under normal and Striga infested conditions. Thirty-two temperate lines and two testers were crossed using line x tester mating design. The resulting 64 hybrids plus 4 checks were evaluated for two years using 17 × 4 alpha lattice design with 2 replications under infested and non-infested conditions at Abuja and Mokwa in Nigeria. The mean performance of testcrosses for grain yield was generally higher under non-infested than under infested condition. Grain yield (GY) ranged from 1973.00–4714.00 kg/ha under Striga infested condition, and 1964.00–5428.00 kg/ha under non-infested condition. Ten temperate inbred lines had positive GCA effects for GY under both conditions and seventeen testcrosses had positive specific combining ability (SCA) for GY. There were significant mean square differences due to line GCA for days to 50% silking and days to 50% pollen shed and SCA of lines × tester interaction was significant for grain yield under Striga infestation, indicating that the performance of temperate lines in testcrosses varies with the testers. These results could facilitate systematic introgression of the temperate inbred lines into the existing Striga resistant heterotic groups in IITA. The temperate inbred lines with positive GCA effects and producing high grain yields in hybrid combinations could be useful parents for enhancing Striga resistance and agronomic performance of tropical maize germplasms.
Evaluation of formulated strigolactone analogs for Striga management in Kenyan agriculture Muhammad Jamil, Sylvia Mutinda, Jian You Wang, Damaris Barminga, Agnes Mwihaki, Lynet Navangi, Teresa O. Okiyo, Rohit H. Patil, Titus Ngatia, Patrick Mudavadi, Steven Runo, Salim Al-Babili Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, volume 21 Wednesday 30 April 2025 Striga hermonthica, an obligate root parasitic weed affecting cereal crops, poses a significant threat to global food security in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Germination of Striga seed largely relies on signaling molecules released by the host roots, mainly strigolactones (SLs). Suicidal germination is an effective strategy for reducing Striga seed b... Striga hermonthica, an obligate root parasitic weed affecting cereal crops, poses a significant threat to global food security in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Germination of Striga seed largely relies on signaling molecules released by the host roots, mainly strigolactones (SLs). Suicidal germination is an effective strategy for reducing Striga seed banks in infested soils by applying SL analogs in the absence of a host. However, the challenge remains in developing suitably formulated SL analogs for field application. In this report, we assessed the activity of two SL analogs, MP3 and Nijmegen-1, in both granular and liquid formulations in laboratory and greenhouse settings, and conducted mini-field and field trials to evaluate their effectiveness under farmers’ conditions, using maize as the host crop in Kenyan agriculture. We observed a significant induction of Striga seed germination reaching up to 56 % in laboratory germination bioassays and a reduction in Striga emergence by up to 77 % in greenhouse pot studies. In mini- and field trials in different infested fields, we recorded up to 80 % and 65 % reduction in Striga emergence, respectively. In conclusion, the formulated SL analogs demonstrate significant potential to reduce Striga infestation in maize fields in Kenya and are promising candidates for use by farmers due to their simplicity, ease of handling, stability, and effectiveness.
Mistletoe-bearing trees positively influence bird foraging patterns across urban and natural environments Kees W. Hood, Frank Fabbro, Daniel S. Karp Urban Ecosystems, volume 28 Wednesday 30 April 2025 Worldwide, parasitic mistletoe species have become successful inhabitants of urban forests, despite novel host trees and communities of potential avian dispersers compared to natural habitats. Though land managers often remove mistletoe because of its impact on urban trees, these hemiparasites may nonetheless provide important food resources and st... Worldwide, parasitic mistletoe species have become successful inhabitants of urban forests, despite novel host trees and communities of potential avian dispersers compared to natural habitats. Though land managers often remove mistletoe because of its impact on urban trees, these hemiparasites may nonetheless provide important food resources and structural heterogeneity for local avifauna. This study compares bigleaf mistletoe’s (Phoradendron leucarpum spp. macrophyllum) host distribution and relationships with birds in the urban and natural landscapes of California’s Central Valley. We established vegetation plots in urban parks and riparian forests to survey mistletoe distributions and measured avian visitation and behavior within individual trees. Mistletoe was detected in 10 of 32 surveyed tree species. Mistletoe presence did not vary across land-uses or tree origins (i.e., native vs. non-native trees); however, infestation levels were highest on larger and nonnative trees. Bird species richness and abundance were higher in trees with mistletoe, a pattern driven by insectivorous gleaning species. Birds were more likely to be observed foraging in trees with mistletoe in natural areas but not urban areas. Finally, birds observed foraging or gleaning were more likely to use mistletoe compared to birds observed perching. Our study reinforces ideas surrounding mistletoe’s host adaptability and importance for native birds. While prior work has focused on the importance of its berries and nectar, we found that mistletoe may also be important for invertebrate-gleaning birds. Looking forward, land managers should look to balance the biodiversity benefits of native mistletoe against potential effects on tree health.
Mistletoe negatively impacts vigor, growth and reproduction of silver fir forests at regional and local scales J. Julio Camarero, Álvaro Rubio-Cuadrado, Éster González de Andrés, Antonio Gazol Forest Ecology and Management, volume 586 Monday 28 April 2025 Mistletoes impact their tree hosts in different ways and affect distinct processes such as growth and reproduction. However, comparative assessments of mistletoe effects on these two processes are scarce, particularly at different spatial scales. Here, we quantified how mistletoe (Viscum album L.) affected radial growth and cone production of silve... Mistletoes impact their tree hosts in different ways and affect distinct processes such as growth and reproduction. However, comparative assessments of mistletoe effects on these two processes are scarce, particularly at different spatial scales. Here, we quantified how mistletoe (Viscum album L.) affected radial growth and cone production of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), a major European conifer. We assessed these impacts at continental (2004 −2019 period, 301 plots across Europe), regional (western Spanish Pyrenees, 0.5º W−0.5º E and 42.5º−43.0º N, 30 sites and 360 trees) and local scales (two Pyrenean stands with severe mistletoe infestation − VI and SN sites). Mistletoe abundance enhanced crown defoliation at all scales. At continental scale, the percentage of infested trees has been increasing reaching values close to 15 % in 2019. At regional scale, mistletoe infestation was severe in 19 % of sampled trees. At local scale, mistletoe infestation contributed to forest decline through growth loss and decreased cone production. Silver fir stands with more trees heavily infested by mistletoe showed abundant winter fleshy-fruited species such as Sorbus aria. Mistletoe led to lasting (12 years prior to sampling) and irreversible growth reduction (−78 % in site VI, −44 % in site SN) in severely infested trees as compared to lightly infested coexisting trees. The acute defoliation of the upper crown in severely infested trees negatively impacted cone production, but this effect was significant only at local scale. Thus, continental-wide assessments of mistletoe infestation and how it impacts defoliation, growth and cone production should be carefully validated and refined by regional and local data.

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