Parasitic Flowering Plants Ecology and Management

About this book

Parasites have not only developed among microorganisms, fungi, worms or insects, but also among higher plants, with various degrees of dependency on the sap of their host plants. Currently more than 3000 species of parasitic seed plants are known; these live from the nutrients and water of their hosts. This work summarizes in words and graphics past studies on the ecology, economy, physiology and morphology of plant parasites, as well as management practices which are already in use, still under evaluation, or even under development. In the interest of a concise presentation, results from the author's applied laboratory and field studies are used only to verify statements and valuations or to supplement information from the literature.

Contents

Part 1 Biology of parasitic plants: definition; parasitic seed plants in the plant kingdom; distribution and detection of the host; the haustorium; nutrient stream; host specificity; aspects of evolution. Part 2 Geographic distribution. Part 3 The economic importance of phytoparasites: infestation level, yield loss and abandoning of fields infested with Orobanche; infestation level and yield loss due to Striga - two case studies in Ghana and Togo. Part 4 Environmental influences on growth and development of the parasites: biological parameters - life-span of the parasite seeds, post-ripening and conditioning, germination; physical and chemical parameters; temperature; soil humidity; pH of the soil; photoperiod; light; nitrogen supply; nitrogen metabolism; phosphorus; potassium. Part 5 Management of agricultural ecosystems: agricultural systems; measures to control the phytoparasites Orobanche and Striga - cultural control measures, chemical control, physical control measurements, natural enemies of the phytoparasites Orobanche and Striga.

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