The use of strigolactone (SL) analogs as suicidal germination agents to control the seed banks of the parasitic weed Striga hermonthica has gained interest for field applications in recent years. However, concerns about the environmental safety of these SL analogs remain. In this study, we evaluated the mutagenic potential of two selected SL analogs, Methyl Phenlactonoate 3 […]
Holoparasitic plants such as Orobanche are thought to act as a strong sink for host resources. Here, we tested the effect of nutrient supply to parasitized or unparasitized roots of red clover plants growing in a splot root box. We found that host growth was strongly suppressed by the parasite when nutrients were fed to […]
Facultative root hemiparasites likely connect to several hosts at the same time. However, most studies use single-association experiments, where a host and parasite are grown together in a pot. In this study, we used a split root box which allows us to control both the number of hosts and nutrient supply to each plant independently. […]
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I am excited to see Parasitic Plants and the work on combating the root parasitic plant Striga featured in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Botanic Garden exhibit “Fierce Flora: Tales of Survival and Demise”. New U.S. Botanic Garden Exhibit Spotlights “Fierce Flora” | United States Botanic Garden […]
We’re thrilled to announce the relaunch of the IPPS Seminar Series to make the wait for the next WCPP a little bit more bearable. We will kick off on January 8th, 2025, with an exciting new format and continue with our familiar first Wednesday-of-the-month schedule throughout the year. The new format will feature a 25-minute […]
RAFFLESIA is a parasitic plant that spends most of its life cycle within its host, a tropical vine, emerging only to bloom. Its flowers are the largest in the world, spanning up to a metre. Despite this, little is known about its life cycle, and it is almost impossible to grow. Half of the Rafflesia […]
Phtheirospermum japonicum, like most hemiparasitic species in the Orobanchaceae, forms multiple haustoria along its roots when it detects a nearby host. In this PNAS Brief Report, we present the discovery of an endogenous peptide, PjCLE1, which stimulates protohaustorium formation when applied externally. This makes the 12-amino acid-long PjCLE1 peptide the first identified peptidic haustorium-inducing factor […]
Parasitic plants use virulence factors (VFs), including proteins, RNAs and small molecules, to successfully infect a host plant. To reach host cells, VFs must be released from parasite cells. In the case of proteinaceous VFs, one major determinant of secretion is the presence of an N-terminal secretion signal in the peptide sequence. Algorithms that predict […]
Functional Ecology, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.14658 1. Plants infected by parasitic species might be further stressed by climate warming as both factors can influence the host plant’s nutrient acquisition and growth. The root economics space, defined by root functional traits, reflects a plant’s nutrient acquisition strategy. However, the combined effects of warming and parasitism on root functional traits and their positions within […]