Haustorium 88 is now available for download on the IPPS website.

We are delighted to announce the publication of the 88th issue of Haustorium! Please follow the link below to download Haustorium 88. This edition features, among other highlights, a message from the IPPS President with updates on the upcoming WCPP in Brazil; lively discussions of recent literature by Jonathan Gressel, Jeanmaire Molina, and Chris Thorogood; […]

November IPPS Seminars by Guillaume Brun and Martina Leso

We are pleased to announce the speakers for our November IPPS seminars. First talk: Dr. Guillaume Brun from Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, will talk about “Seed metabolites headstart haustoriogenesis and potentiate aggressiveness of parasitic weeds” Second talk: Dr. Martina Leso, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, will talk about “Regulating haustoria numbers […]

IPPS Online Seminar on October 1st, 2025, by Guojing SHEN and Laia JENÉ

The IPPS October Seminar will again feature two talks: Guojing SHEN from the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, will talk about: ‘Unraveling Cuscuta-host interactions: hormone/receptor-mediated host resistance and dual-functional resin glucosides from Cuscuta’ and Laia JENÉ from the Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Spain, will talk about: […]

IPPS Online Seminar on September 3rd, 2025, by Ai-Rong Li and Run-Xian Yu

The IPPS September Seminar will feature two talks: Prof. Ai-Rong Li from the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, will talk about: “Unlocking the Cultivation Secrets of a Valuable Root Hemiparasitic Plant Malania oleifera (Olacaceae): From Ecological Adaptation to Molecular Regulation” and Run-Xian Yu from the from the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy […]

Steven Runo elected to the IS-MPMI board

Prof. Steven Runo from Kenyatta University has been elected to the board of the International Society for Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (IS-MPMI). His appointment will help to bring more attention to parasitic plant research within the scientific community. Congratulations, Steven, on this well-deserved achievement!   […]

IPPS Online Seminar on July 2nd, 2025, by Bing Wang and Tao Chen

The IPPS July Seminar will feature two talks on broomrapes:: Prof. Bing Wang from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences will talk about: “Manipulation of a strigolactone transporter in tomato confers resistance to the parasitic weed broomrape” and Prof. Tao Chen from the Hangzhou Normal […]

From Haustorium 87: Strigolactone transporter gene editing results in parasitic weed resistance in sorghum and tomato. The parasitic weed problem solved?

picture paper Xinwei Ban

Jiayang Shi et al., 2025. Resistance to Striga parasitism through reduction of strigolactone exudation. Cell, 2025, ISSN 0092-8674, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2025.01.022 Xinwei Ban et al., 2025. Manipulation of a strigolactone transporter in tomato confers resistance to the parasitic weed broomrape. The Innovation, 2025, 100815, ISSN 2666-6758, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xinn.2025.100815. At about the same time these two papers show once […]

From Haustorium 87: Lost for 85 years: Sapria himalayana rediscovered in Arunachal’s Eaglenest Sanctuary

Last recorded in 1938 near Rupa in the Aka Hills, Arunachal Pradesh, Sapria himalayana has remained one of the most elusive members of the Rafflesiaceae family. Sapria himalayana, the cousin of the world’s largest flower, Rafflesia, was first discovered in the Mishmi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh by British botanist William Griffith in 1836. Despite its […]

IPPS Online Seminar on June 4th, 2025, by Jessy Lasky and Yu Feifei

The IPPS June Seminar will feature two talks on Striga: Prof. Jessy Lasky from the Pennsylvania State University will talk about: “Genetics, physiology, and evolution of sorghum resistance and striga host adaptation” and Prof. Yu Feifei from the China Agricultural University will talk about: “Resistance to Striga parasitism through reduction of strigolactone exudation” Date: Wednesday, […]

IPPS Online Seminar on May 7th, 2025, by Junkun Lu and Xinhua Zhang

Our IPPS May Seminar will feature two talks about the parasitic tree sandalwood. First talk: Prof. Junkun Lu from the Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry will talk about: “Synergistic parasitism of mixed rosewood-sandalwood plantation in China” Second talk: Prof. Xinhua Zhang, from the South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences […]