Parasitic Plants: Their Distribution, Economic Damages and Methods of Control

Authors

  • Shaima Hassan Ali Al- Abbasi University of Samarra
  • Ali Ahmed Ali University of Samarra
  • Mardin Ali Abbas University of Samarra
  • Mohammed G. Faris University of Samarra

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21070/nabatia.v13i2.1669

Keywords:

Parasitic plants, whole parasites, Plant resistance, Rhamphicarpa fistulosa

Abstract

Parasitic plants are specialized flowering plants that depend partially or completely on host plants for water and nutrients through specialized structures known as haustoria (“pipettes”). They are classified into holoparasites (Orobanche, Striga) and hemiparasites (Cuscuta, Rhinanthus minor). These species are widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions and are responsible for substantial agricultural yield losses, sometimes reaching 100%. This review aims to summarize the distribution of major parasitic plant species, evaluate their economic impacts on agricultural production, and discuss integrated control strategies. A comprehensive literature review was conducted, compiling studies on the biology, ecology, host-parasite interactions, and management of parasitic plants. Control measures discussed include preventive, mechanical, chemical, biological, and biotechnological approaches, with special attention to host plant resistance mechanisms. Key parasitic plants identified as major agricultural threats include Cassytha filiformis, Cuscuta spp., Striga spp., Rhamphicarpa fistulosa, and Agalinis purpurea. These species significantly reduce the productivity of cereals, legumes, and vegetable crops. Integrated management strategies, including herbicide application, biological control, and development of resistant varieties, have shown potential effectiveness. Resistance mechanisms involve inhibition of parasite seed germination, prevention of haustorial penetration, and restriction of parasite growth after attachment.

References

[1] Agrios, G. N. 2005. Plant Pathology. 5th.ed. Academic Press. . San Diego , P:922 .

[2] Akiyama, K., K. Matsuzaki and H. Hayashi. 2005. Plant sesquiterpenes induce hyphal branching in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Nature, 435: 824 827 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03608

[3] Alonso, L. C., J. Ferna'ndez-Escobar, G. Lo'pez, M. I. Rodrı'guez-Ojeda, And F. Sallago F. 1996. New highly virulent sunflower broomrape (Orobanche cernua Loefl.) pathotypes in Spain. In: Moreno MT,Cubero JI, Berner D, Joel D, Musselman LJ, Parker C, eds. Six international parasitic weeds. Symposium on the Advances in Parasitic Plant Research. Sevilla: Junta de Andaluci'a, Consejeri'a de Agricultura y Pesca, 639-644

[4] Amusan, I. O., P. J. Rich, A. Menkir, T. Housley and G. Ejeta. 2008. Resistance to Striga hermonthica in a maize inbred line derived from Zea diploperennis. New Phytologist, 178: 157-166 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02355.x

[5] Bleischwitz, M., M. Albert, H-L Fuchsbauer and R. Kaldenhoff. 2010. Significance of Cuscutain, a cysteine protease from Cuscuta reflexa, in host parasite interactions. BMC Plant Biology, 10: 227-235 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2229/10/227 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-10-227

[6] Cameron, D. D., J-M Geniez, W. E. Seel and L. J. Irving. 2008. Suppression of host photosynthesis by the parasitic plant Rhinanthus minor. Annals of Botany, 101: 573-578 doi:10.1093/aob/mcm324, available online at www.aob.oxfordjournals.org DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcm324

[7] Castillejo,M. A., A. M. Maldonado, E. Dumas-Gaudot, M. Fernández Aparicio, R. Susín, R. Diego and J. V. Jorrín. 2009. Differential expression proteomics to investigate responses and resistance to Orobanche crenata in Medicago truncatula. BMC Genomics, 10:294 doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-10 294 This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471 2164/10/294 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-10-294

[8] Du, L., G. S. Ali, K. A. Simons, J. Hou, T. Yang, A. S. N. Reddy and B. W. Poovaiah 2009. Ca2/calmodulin regulates salicylic-acid-mediated plant immunity. Nature, 457: 1154-1158. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07612

[9] Eberwein, R., D. L. Nickrent and A. Weber. 2009. Development and morphology of flowers and inflorescence in Baanophora papuana and B. elongate (Balanophoraceae). American Journal of Botany, 96 (6): 1055 1067 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.0800289

[10] Estabrook, E. M. and J. I. Yoder. 1998. Plant-plant communications: rhizosphere signaling between parasitic aAngiosperms and their hosts. Plant Physiol., 116:1-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.116.1.1

[11] Fan, Z.-W., H. Buschmann and J. Sauerborn. 2007. Prohexadione-calcium induces sunflower (Helianthus annuus) resistance against the root parasitic weed Orobanche cumana. Weed Research, 47: 34-43(Abstract) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3180.2007.00536.x

[12] Fer, A., P. Simier, M. C. Amaud, L. Rey and S. Renaudin. 1993. carbon. acquisition and metabolism in root hemiparasitic angiosperm, Thisium humile (Santalaceae) growing on wheat Journal of Plant Physiology, 20 (1): 15-24 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/PP9930015

[13] Fernández-Aparicio, M., F. Flores and D. Rubiales. 2009. Recognition of root exudates by seeds of broomrape (Orobanche and Phelipanche) species. Annals of Botany, 103: 423-431 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcn236

[14] Fernández-Martínez, J., J. Melero-Vara, J. Muñoz-Ruz, J. Ruso and J. Dominguez. 2000. Selection of wild and cultivated sunflower for resistance to a new broomrape race that overcomes resistance of the Or(5) gene. Crop Science, 40:550-555 Fernández-Aparicio, M., A. Pérez-de-Luque, M. D. Lozano and D. Rubiales. 2007. Inoculation and growth with root parasitic plants. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2000.402550x

[15] Gomez-Roldan, V., S. Fermas, P. B. Brewer, V. Puech-Pages and coauthors. 2008. Strigolactone inhibition of shoot branching. Nature, 455: 189-194 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07271

[16] Hurtado, O. 2004. Study and manipulation of the Salicylic Acid-dependent defense pathway in plants parasitized by Orobanche aegyptiaca Pers. M. Sc. Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Blacksburg, Virginia. PDF, 98 pp.

[17] International Journal of Agronomy, Article ID 963259, PDF, 4 pages. doi:10.1155/2010/963259 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/963259

[18] Jiang, F., W. D. Jeschke, W. Hartung and D. D. Cameron. 2008. Does legume nitrogen fixation underpin host quality for the hemiparasitic plant Rhinanthus minor? Journal of Experimental Botany, 59 (4): 917-925 . DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/ern015

[19] Joel, D. M., Hershenhorn, J., Eizenberg, H., Aly, R., Ejeta, G., Rich, P. J., … & Westwood, J. H. (2022). Biology and management of weedy root parasites. Horticultural Reviews, 48, 267–350. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119718168.ch6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470168011.ch4

[20] Kawakita, A. and M. Kato. 2002. Floral biology and unique pollination system of root holoparasites, Balanophora kuroiwai and B. tobiracola (Balonophoraceae). American Journal of Botany, 89 (7): 1164-1170 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3732/ajb.89.7.1164

[21] Keyes, W. J., J. V. Taylor, R. P. Apkarian, and D. G. Lynn. 2001. Dancing together. Social controls in parasitic plant development. Plant Physiol, 127: 1508-1512 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.010753

[22] Kipgen, L. and K. Jibankumar. 2010. Balanophora: a rare and endangered plant found in North East India. Ecotone, a quarterly newsletter on environment and biodiversity of North East India, 3 : 20:13

[23] Lanini, W. T. and M. Kogan. 2005. Biology and management of Cuscuta in crops. Cienciae Investigacion Agraria, 32 (3): 165-179 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7764/rcia.v32i3.317

[24] Lanini, W. T., D. W. Cudney, G. Miyao, K. J. Hembree. Ed. B. Ohlendorf. 2002 Dodder Integrated pest management for home gardeners and professional horticulturalists. Publication 7496. Produced by IPM Education and Publications, UC Statewide IPM Project, University of California, Davis. Pdf 4 pp.

[25] Medicago truncatula handbook version 20 April 2007. PDF, 11pp.

[26] Mellersh, D. G., I. V. Foulds, V. J. Higgins and M. C. Heath. 2002. H202 plays different roles in determining penetration failure in three diverse plant-fungal interactions. The Plant Journal, 29 : 257-268 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.0960-7412.2001.01215.x

[27] Miller, A. E., G. K. Douce,T. R. Murphy, B. T. Watson and T. J. English. 1997 Small broomrape Orobanche minor Smith. The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with USDA-APHIS

[28] Musselman, L. J. 1980. The biology of Striga, Orobanche, and other root parasitic weeds. Ann. Rev. Phytopathol. 18:463-489 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.py.18.090180.002335

[29] Musselman, L. J., C. S. Harris and W. F. Mann, Jr. 1978. Agalinis purpurea : a parasitic weedon sycamore, sweet gum and loblolly pine. Tree Planters' Notes. U.S. Department of Agriculture, USA. PDF, 2 pp.

[30] Nelson, S. C. 2008a. Cassytha filiformis. Plant Disease, PD-42. Cooporative Extension service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. PDF, 10 pp.

[31] Nelson, S. C. 2008b. Cephaleuros Species, the Plant-Parasitic Green Algae. Plant Disease PD-43. Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR). University of Hawaii. PDF, 6 pp.

[32] Nickrent, D. L. 2002.. Parasitic Plants of the World. Chapter 2, pp. 7-27 in

[33] Nickrent, D. L. and L. J. Musselman. 2004. Introduction parasitic flowering plants. The Plant Health Instructor. DOI: 10.1094/PHI-1-2004 0330-01 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHI-I-2004-0330-01

[34] Ouedraogo, Neumann, Raynal-Roques, Salle, Tuquet and Dembele. 1999. New insights concerning the ecology and the biology of Rhamphicarpa fistulosa (Scrophulariaceae). Weed doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3180.1999.00133.x Research, 39: 159-169. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3180.1999.00133.x

[35] Parker, C. (2020). Parasitic weeds: A world challenge. Weed Science, 68(3), 249–260. https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2019.28 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2019.28

[36] Rispail, N., M. -A. Dita, C. González-Verdejo, A. Pérez-de-Luque, M. -A. Castillejo, E. Prats, B. Román, J. Jorrin, D. Rubiales. 2007. Plant resistance to parasitic plants: Molecular approaches to an old foe. New Phytologist, 173 (4): 703-711 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.01980.x

[37] Rubiales D. 2003. Parasitic plants, wild relatives and the nature of resistance. New Phytologist, 160:459-461 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-8137.2003.00929.x

[38] Rubiales, D., & Fernández-Aparicio, M. (2020). Innovations in parasitic weeds management in legume crops. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 40(4), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-020-00639-9

[39] Rubiales, D., Fernández-Aparicio, M., & Westwood, J. H. (2022). Management of root parasitic weeds in legumes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 879651. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.879651

[40] Runo, S., & Kuria, E. K. (2018). Habits of a highly successful cereal killer, Striga. PLoS Pathogens, 14(1), e1006731. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1006731 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1006731

[41] Samejima, H., Babiker, A. G. T., Mustafa, A., Sugimoto, Y., & Takeuchi, Y. (2021). Recent advances in Striga research and control. Plant Production Science, 24(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/1343943X.2020.1814775

[42] Sauerborn, J., H. Buschmann, G. Ghiasvand,and K-H. Kogel. 2002. Benzothiadiazole activates resistance in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) to the root-parasite weed Orobanche cumana. Phytopathology, 92: 59-64 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO.2002.92.1.59

[43] Schneeweiss, G. M. 2004. Taxonomy and phylogeny in Orobanche. Page 4 In COST ACTION 849: Parasitic plant management in sustainable agriculture Thematic meeting "GENETIC DIVERSITY OF PARASITIC PLANTS" 19-21 February 2004, Córdoba, Spain

[44] Serghini, K., A. Pérez-de-Luque, M. Castejón-Muñoz, L. García-Torres and J. N. Jorrín. 2001. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) response to broomrape (Orobanche cernua Loefl.) parasitism:induced synthesis and excretion of 7 hydroxylated simple coumarins. Journal of Experimental Botany, 52 : 2227 2234 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jexbot/52.364.2227

[45] Shindrova, P., P. Ivanov and V. Nikolova 1998. Effects of broomrape intensity of attack on some morphological and biochemichal indices of sunflower. Helia, 21:55-62

[46] Shivamurthy, G. R., G.. Arekal and B. G. L. Swamy. 1980. Establishment, structure and morphology of the tuber of Balanophora. Annals of Botany, 47 (6): 735-745 . DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a086072

[47] The IITA Striga Research Group for The Pan African Striga Control Network (PASCON) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture PMB , 532, Ibadan, Nigeria. 1997. Striga Research Methods - A manual.pdf 81 pp.

[48] Umehara ,M., A. Hanada, S. Yoshida, K. Akiyama, T. Arite and coauthors.2008 Inhibition of shoot branching by new terpenoid plant hormones. Nature, 455: 195-200 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07272

[49] Westbury, D. B. 2004. Rhinanthus minor L. Journal of Ecology, 92: 906 927. doi: 10.1111/j.0022-0477.2004.00929.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-0477.2004.00929.x

[50] Westwood, J. H., Yoder, J. I., Timko, M. P., & dePamphilis, C. W. (2018). The evolution of parasitism in plants. Trends in Plant Science, 23(4), 303–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2018.01.004. www.sob.oxfordjournals.org DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2018.01.004

[52] Yoder, J. I. 2001. Host-plant recognition by parasitic Scrophulariaceae. Curr Opin Plant Biol 4: 359-365 Yoshida, S. and K. Shirasu. 2009. Multiple layers of incompatibility to the parasitic witchweed, Striga hermonthica. New Phytologist, 183: 180-189 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.02840.x

[53] Yoshida, S., Cui, S., Ichihashi, Y., & Shirasu, K. (2019). The haustorium, a specialized invasive organ in parasitic plants. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 67, 643–667. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-043015-111702 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-043015-111702

[54] Young, N. D., K. E. Steiner and C. W. dePamphilis. 1999 . The evolution of parasitism in Scrophulariaceae/Orobanchaceae: Plastid gene sequences refute an evolutionary transition series. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 86 (4): 876-893. doi:10.2307/2666173 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2666173

Downloads

Published

2025-10-03

How to Cite

Ali Al- Abbasi, S. H., Ali, A. A., Abbas , M. A., & G. Faris, M. (2025). Parasitic Plants: Their Distribution, Economic Damages and Methods of Control. Nabatia, 13(2), 116–131. https://doi.org/10.21070/nabatia.v13i2.1669

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025): December (In Progress)

Section

Articles

Categories

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Shaima Hassan Ali Al- Abbasi, Ali Ahmed Ali, Mardin Ali Abbas , Mohammed G. Faris

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright Notice

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.