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Parasitic Plants Management

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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2021) | Viewed by 33169

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Dr. Mónica Fernández-Aparicio

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Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS), CSIC, Córdoba, Spain
Interests: weeds; sustainable crop protection; germination; resistance; allelopathy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant-parasitic plants are fascinating examples of plant evolution. They live in balance with other organisms in natural ecosystems, in contrast to most parasitic weeds that severely attack crops, reducing their yield and rendering agricultural lands uncultivable worldwide. The control of parasitic weeds is challenging because of the lack of control methods that are selective enough to kill the weeds without damaging the crop to which they are physically and biochemically attached. The management of parasitic weeds is also hindered by their high fecundity, dispersal efficiency, persistent seedbank, and rapid responses to changes in agricultural practices, which allow them to adapt to new hosts and manifest increased aggressiveness against new resistant cultivars. This Special Issue aims to address the sustainability of parasitic weed management by presenting new knowledge and emerging technologies in the following fields:

Biology and physiology of weed parasitism.
Breeding crops for resistance to parasitic weed infection.
Traditional herbicides.
Screening of natural products for the discovery of novel herbicides.
Biological control.
Allelopathic crops.
Genetic engineering.
Integrated parasitic weed management.
Technology transfer to farmers. Integration in the socio-economic context to be a functional part of the crop health management.
Evolutionary trends: changing host specificities, increased virulence, herbicide resistance.
Ecology of parasitic weed interaction with autotrophic weeds and microbial communities.

Dr. Mónica Fernández-Aparicio

Guest Editor

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Keywords

parasitic weeds
integrated weed management
germination
haustorium
crop resistance
new herbicide targets
natural products
biocontrol
allelopathy
host specificities
virulence

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 527 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phytochemical Characterization of Phoradendron bollanum and Viscum album subs. austriacum as Mexican Mistletoe Plants with Antimicrobial Activity

by José Daniel García-García, Julia Cecilia Anguiano-Cabello, Roberto Arredondo-Valdés, Claudio Alexis Candido del Toro, José Luis Martínez-Hernández, Elda Patricia Segura-Ceniceros, Mayela Govea-Salas, Mónica Lizeth González-Chávez, Rodolfo Ramos-González, Sandra Cecilia Esparza-González, Juan Alberto Ascacio-Valdés, Claudia Magdalena López-Badillo and Anna Ilyina

Plants 2021, 10(7), 1299; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10071299 - 26 Jun 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3427

Abstract

In Mexico, mistletoes have several applications in traditional medicine due to the great variety of compounds with biological activities that have not been characterized to date. The goals of the present study are to analyze the composition of minerals and phytochemical compounds in Mexican mistletoes Phoradendron bollanum and Viscum album subs. austriacum qualitatively and quantitatively, identify the compounds using HPLC-MS, and assess the antimicrobial potential in phytopathogenic microorganism control. Mineral content was evaluated with X-ray fluorescence. Three types of extracts were prepared: ethanol, water, and aqueous 150 mM sodium chloride solution. Characterization was carried out using qualitative tests for phytochemical compound groups, analytical methods for proteins, reducing sugars, total phenol, flavonoids quantification, and HPLC-MS for compound identification. The antimicrobial activity of mistletoe’s liquid extracts was evaluated by microplate assay. K and Ca minerals were observed in both mistletoes. A qualitative test demonstrated alkaloids, carbohydrates, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, and quinones. Ethanolic extract showed flavonoids, 3845 ± 69 and 3067 ± 17.2 mg QE/g for Phoradendron bollanum and Viscum album subs. austriacum, respectively, while aqueous extracts showed a total phenol content of 65 ± 6.9 and 90 ± 1.19 mg GAE/g Phoradendron bollanum and Viscum album subs. austriacum, respectively. HPLC-MS identified largely hydroxycinnamic acids and methoxycinnamic acids. Clavibacter michiganenses was successfully inhibited by aqueous extract of both mistletoes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants Management)

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12 pages, 2644 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Benzoquinones on Radicles of Orobanche and Phelipanche Species

by Mónica Fernández-Aparicio, Marco Masi, Alessio Cimmino and Antonio Evidente

Plants 2021, 10(4), 746; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10040746 - 11 Apr 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2474

Abstract

The holoparasitic broomrape weeds (Orobanche and Phelipanche species) cause severe yield losses throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Southern and Eastern Europe. These parasitic weeds form an haustorium at the tip of their radicles to infect the crop upon detection of the host-derived haustorium-inducing factors. Until now, the haustorial induction in the broomrapes remains less studied than in other parasitic plant species. Known haustorium-inducing factors active in hemiparasites, such as Striga and Triphysaria species, were reported to be inefficient for the induction of haustoria in broomrape radicles. In this work, the haustorium-inducing activity of p-benzoquinone and 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone (BQ and DMBQ) on radicles of three different broomrapes, namely Orobanche cumana, Orobanche minor and Phelipanche ramosa, is reported. Additional allelopathic effects of benzoquinones on radicle growth and radicle necrosis were studied. The results of this work suggest that benzoquinones play a role in the induction of haustorium in broomrapes. Although dependent on the broomrape species assayed and the concentration of quinones used in the test, the activity of BQ appeared to be stronger than that of DMBQ. The redox property represented by p-benzoquinone, which operates in several physiological processes of plants, insects and animals, is invoked to explain this different activity. This work confirms the usefulness of benzoquinones as haustorium-inducing factors for holoparasitic plant research. The findings of this work could facilitate future studies in the infection process, such as host-plant recognition and haustorial formation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants Management)

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14 pages, 2330 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Search for Resistant Genotypes to Cuscuta campestris Infection in Two Legume Species, Vicia sativa and Vicia ervilia

by Eva María Córdoba, Mónica Fernández-Aparicio, Clara Isabel González-Verdejo, Carmela López-Grau, María del Valle Muñoz-Muñoz and Salvador Nadal

Plants 2021, 10(4), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10040738 - 9 Apr 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2169

Abstract

The dodders (Cuscuta spp.) are parasitic plants that feed on the stems of their host plants. Cuscuta campestris is one of the most damaging parasitic plants for the worldwide agricultural production of broad-leaved crops. Its control is limited or non-existent, therefore resistance breeding is the best alternative both economically and environmentally. Common vetch (Vicia sativa) and bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia) are highly susceptible to C. campestris, but no resistant genotypes have been identified. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify in V. sativa and V.ervilia germplasm collections genotypes resistant to C. campestris infection for use in combating this parasitic plant. Three greenhouse screening were conducted to: (1) identify resistant responses in a collection of 154 accessions of bitter vetch and a collection of 135 accessions of common vetch genotypes against infection of C. campestris; (2) confirm the resistant response identified in common vetch accessions; and (3) characterize the effect of C. campestris infection on biomass of V. sativa resistant and susceptible accessions. Most common vetch and bitter vetch genotypes tested were susceptible to C. campestris. However, the V. sativa genotype Vs.1 exhibited high resistance. The resistant phenotype was characterized by a delay in the development of C. campestris posthaustorial growth and a darkening resembling a hypersensitive-like response at the penetration site. The resistant mechanism was effective in limiting the growth of C. campestris as the ratio of parasite/host shoot dry biomass was more significantly reduced than the rest of the accessions. To the best or our knowledge, this is the first identification of Cuscuta resistance in V. sativa genotypes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants Management)

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15 pages, 7266 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Allelopathic Effect of Quercetin, a Flavonoid from Fagopyrum esculentum Roots in the Radicle Growth of Phelipanche ramosa: Quercetin Natural and Semisynthetic Analogues Were Used for a Structure-Activity Relationship Investigation

by Mónica Fernández-Aparicio, Marco Masi, Alessio Cimmino, Susana Vilariño and Antonio Evidente

Plants 2021, 10(3), 543; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10030543 - 13 Mar 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2891

Abstract

Allelopathic potential of buckwheat roots on the radicle growth of the broomrape weed species Orobanche cumana and Phelipanche ramosa was studied. Buckwheat root exudates induced a significant growth inhibition in P. ramosa radicles but radicles of O. cumana were not affected. Among the metabolites present in the root organic extract we identified the flavonol quercetin and the stilbene p-coumaric acid methyl ester with only quercetin showing inhibitory effect on P. ramosa. The activity of quercetin was compared with other two similar flavanoids, the flavone apigenin and the dihydroflavanol 3-O-acetylpadmatin extracted respectively from Lavandula stoechas and Dittrichia viscosa plants. In this comparative assay only 3-O-acetylpadmatin besides quercetin, showed inhibition activity of radicle growth while apigenin was inactive. These results indicated that the presence of two ortho-free hydroxy groups of C ring, like catechol, could be an important feature to impart activity while the carbon skeleton of B ring and substituents of both A and B rings are not essential. Besides reduction of radicle growth, haustorium induction was observed at the tip of P. ramosa radicles treated with quercetin which swelled and a layer of papillae was formed. Activity of quercetin on haustorium induction in P. ramosa was assayed in comparison with the known haustorium-inducing factor 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone (DMBQ) and a three partial methyl ether derivatives semisynthetized from quercetin. Results indicated that P. ramosa haustorium was induced by DMBQ at concentrations of 1–0.5 mM and quercetin and its derivatives at concentration range 0.1–0.05 mM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants Management)

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13 pages, 927 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Resistance against Orobanche crenata in Bitter Vetch (Vicia ervilia) Germplasm Based on Reduced Induction of Orobanche Germination

by Clara Isabel González-Verdejo, Mónica Fernández-Aparicio, Eva María Córdoba, Juan Antonio López-Ráez and Salvador Nadal

Plants 2021, 10(2), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020348 - 12 Feb 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1967

Abstract

Bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia (L.) Willd.) is a legume well adapted to cultivation in marginal areas, being an important source of protein for animal feed in low input cropping systems. Surprisingly, it is an underutilized crop as it could be a good alternative to increase the sustainability of extensive rainfed cropping systems. In Mediterranean rainfed cropping systems, the productivity of bitter vetch is severely reduced by the parasitic weed species Orobanche crenata (Forsk). To date, few resistant bitter vetch genotypes have been identified. O. crenata infection process initiates with the recognition of germination factors exuded by roots of susceptible hosts. In this work, the interaction of a collection of bitter vetch accessions and O. crenata has been analyzed in order to discover accessions with low germination induction activity. Through a combination of field and rhizotron experiments, two bitter vetch accessions were selected showing low germination-induction activity, which resulted in less infection. In addition, in vitro germination assays revealed that the low germination activity was due to low exudation of germination factors and not due to the exudation of germination inhibitors. The selected low germination-inducers genotypes could be the basis for a new breeding program generating locally adapted alternatives with resistance to O. crenata. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants Management)

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14 pages, 2537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Vicia ervilia Germplasm Resistant to Orobanche crenata

by Clara Isabel González-Verdejo, Mónica Fernández-Aparicio, Eva María Córdoba and Salvador Nadal

Plants 2020, 9(11), 1568; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9111568 - 13 Nov 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2228

Abstract

Bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.) is an ancient grain legume used as animal feed in the Mediterranean basin. This legume has a large economical potential because of its high yield under low inputs and good protein content, as well as resistance to cold and drought. Nevertheless, its growth and production area are affected in the presence of the broomrape weed species Orobanche crenata. Due to the small bitter vetch size, infection by as few as two or three O. crenata per vetch plant can be devastating. There are no efficient methods of selectively controlling O. crenata in this crop, for which reason the development of varieties resistant and tolerant to O. crenata infection is needed. Phytogenetic resources are valuable reserves for species survival. They represent important genetic variability and allow the possibility of finding characters of interest, such as new resistance sources. A large-scale field screening of a collection of 102 bitter vetch accessions indicated that most bitter vetch accessions were susceptible but allowed us to select 16 accessions with low levels of O. crenata infection. Next, we used a combination of field and rhizotron experiments to investigate the resistant response of selected bitter vetch genotypes in detail by studying the performance and resistance mechanisms. These experiments led to the identification of three different mechanisms that block O. crenata parasitism. A pre-attachment mechanism of low induction of O.crenata germination was identified in two bitter vetch accession Ve.055 and Ve.155. In addition, a post-attachment mechanism of resistance to O. crenata penetration was identified inthe accession Ve.125. In addition, the field-resistant accession Ve.123 showed susceptible response in rhizotron, indicating that a late mechanism acting after vascular connection, most probably related with bitter vetch of escape due to fructification precocity was acting against O. crenata development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants Management)

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14 pages, 273 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Infestation of Field Dodder (Cuscuta campestris Yunck.) Promotes Changes in Host Dry Weight and Essential Oil Production in Two Aromatic Plants, Peppermint and Chamomile

by Marija Sarić-Krsmanović, Ana Dragumilo, Jelena Gajić Umiljendić, Ljiljana Radivojević, Ljiljana Šantrić and Rada Đurović-Pejčev

Plants 2020, 9(10), 1286; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9101286 - 29 Sep 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2539

Abstract

Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) and chamomile (Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rausch.) are aromatic plants with considerable economic value. These plants and their essential oils are used in medicine, cosmetics, and the food industry. One of the main limiting factors in peppermint and chamomile commercial cultivation is weed competition since weeds are able to decrease both oil amount and biomass yield. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of parasitism by field dodder (Cuscuta campestris Yunck.) on peppermint and chamomile dry weight and their essential oil yield and composition. Essential oils from both noninfested and infested peppermint and chamomile plants were obtained by hydrodistillation and characterized chemically by gas chromatography (GC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). The amount of dry matter accumulated by peppermint and chamomile plants infested by field dodder was lower (25% and 63%, respectively) compared to noninfested plants. Essential oil yield increased for peppermint (3.87% (v/w) and 3.63% (v/w)), but decreased for chamomile (0.2% (v/w) and 0.5% (v/w)) both from infested and noninfested plants, respectively. The oil composition profile significantly differed in terms of content. In peppermint plants, field dodder infestation increased menthone content by 23%, and decreased the content of both menthol by 11% and pulegone by 67%. Furthermore, δ-cadinene was detected only in oil extracted from infested peppermint plants. Compared to peppermint, chamomile plants were significantly more affected by field dodder in terms of essential oil yield, as well as oil composition and plant dry weight. In chamomile plants, (E)-dendrolasin was detected in the oil of noninfested plants, and 1,4-dimethyl-7-(1-methylethyl)-azulen-2-ol was detected only in the oil of infested plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants Management)

Review

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15 pages, 4867 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cytinus under the Microscope: Disclosing the Secrets of a Parasitic Plant

by Enrico Sanjust and Andrea C. Rinaldi

Plants 2021, 10(1), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10010146 - 12 Jan 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4720

Abstract

Well over 1% of all flowering plants are parasites, obtaining all or part of the nutrients they need from other plants. Among this extremely heterogeneous assemblage, the Cytinaceae form a small group of holoparasites, with Cytinus as the main representative genus. Despite the small number of known species and the fact that it doesn’t attack crops or plants of economic importance, Cytinus is paradigmatic among parasitic plants. Recent research has indeed disclosed many aspects of host–parasite interactions and reproductive biology, the latter displaying a vast array of adaptive traits to lure a range of animal pollinators. Furthermore, analysis of biological activities of extracts of the most common species of Cytinus has provided evidence that this plant could be a valuable source of compounds with high potential in key applicative areas, namely food production (nutraceuticals) and the development of antimicrobial therapeutics. This article offers a complete overview of our current knowledge of Cytinus. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants Management)

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26 pages, 3359 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Management of Infection by Parasitic Weeds: A Review

by Mónica Fernández-Aparicio, Philippe Delavault and Michael P. Timko

Plants 2020, 9(9), 1184; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091184 - 11 Sep 2020

Cited by 50 | Viewed by 8114

Abstract

Parasitic plants rely on neighboring host plants to complete their life cycle, forming vascular connections through which they withdraw needed nutritive resources. In natural ecosystems, parasitic plants form one component of the plant community and parasitism contributes to overall community balance. In contrast, when parasitic plants become established in low biodiversified agroecosystems, their persistence causes tremendous yield losses rendering agricultural lands uncultivable. The control of parasitic weeds is challenging because there are few sources of crop resistance and it is difficult to apply controlling methods selective enough to kill the weeds without damaging the crop to which they are physically and biochemically attached. The management of parasitic weeds is also hindered by their high fecundity, dispersal efficiency, persistent seedbank, and rapid responses to changes in agricultural practices, which allow them to adapt to new hosts and manifest increased aggressiveness against new resistant cultivars. New understanding of the physiological and molecular mechanisms behind the processes of germination and haustorium development, and behind the crop resistant response, in addition to the discovery of new targets for herbicides and bioherbicides will guide researchers on the design of modern agricultural strategies for more effective, durable, and health compatible parasitic weed control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants Management)

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