Parasitic plants initiate parasitism in response to haustorium-inducing factors (HIFs). Orobanchaceae hemiparasites recognise lignin-derived quinones and phenolic HIFs. Since lignin is widely conserved among vascular plants, including parasitic species, it was a mystery for a long time why parasitic plants do not form haustoria on their own or on closely-related parasitic species. We identified a […]
In the misty rainforests of southern Chile, we have discovered a crucial shift in the forest’s food web as we go higher into the mountains. We studied two types of mistletoe, which are parasitic plants. In the lowlands, a generalist mistletoe thrives on many tree species, while a picky, specialist mistletoe only grows on beech […]
Forwarding message: On behalf of the organizing committee, we would like to cordially invite you and welcome you to the “4thInternational Congress on Strigolactones (ICS)”, which will be held in Paris, FRANCE, from 5 to 8 October 2026. All the information about travel, abstract submission, detailed scientific program, and registration is available on the website. Please see: https://ics2026.sciencesconf.org/ The scientific program […]
We’re soon (31 Dec.) closing our parasitic weed survey 🌻 🌾 ☘️ . Please help us to bring this one more time to the attention of (field crop) farmers 🚜 and agronomists across Europe and request their participation!The survey (at tinyurl.com/parasiticweeds) is available in 8 languages (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Portuguese and Dutch), […]
In the dry landscapes of north-central Chile, a large rainfall unexpectedly changed the rules of survival for two local mistletoe species. Researchers found that the heavy winter rains caused one mistletoe to produce fewer flowers, while the other flourished, producing more flowers and fruit. This difference had a ripple effect on the local wildlife. The […]
From November 5 to 7, 2025, the inaugural National Symposium on Parasitic Plants was successfully held at Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The symposium was co-chaired by Professor Jianqiang Wu and Professor Airong Li, both from the host institute. The event brought together leading researchers in the field of parasitic plant […]
Happy to present the work of postdoc Pornkanok Pongpamorn and PhD student Michelle Zwart, carried out in the Promise II project lead by Jos Raaijmakers. Parasitic weeds from the Orobanchaceae family, particularly Striga, Orobanche, and Phelipanche spp., are responsible for substantial agricultural losses worldwide. A better understanding of the intricate chemical interaction between parasitic plants and their […]
Strigolactone (SL) biosynthetic mutants have repeatedly been associated with reduced germination of parasitic Orobanchaceae in vitro. However, the extent to which this translates into field resistance has been poorly investigated. Based on replicated field trials, we show that although the SL-deficient pea mutants rms1 and rms5 are more resistant to Orobanche crenata (Oc) than their […]
In the dry landscapes of Chile, two mistletoe species are proving that teamwork pays off—even for parasitic plants. A new study reveals that Tristerix aphyllus and Tristerix verticillatus, although competitors for pollinators and seed dispersers, actually help each other thrive when living side by side. Using camera traps over a two-year period, we found that […]
The plant growth regulator zaxinone is essential for proper rice growth and development. Additionally, zaxinone and its two synthetic mimics, MiZax3 and MiZax5, have been shown to significantly promote crop growth and reduce infestation by the root parasitic plant Striga by suppressing strigolactone (SL) production, highlighting their potential for field application. Here, we developed 4 […]