parasitic plants
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2021 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 1067-1079
Author(s):  
Ashley R. Keesling ◽  
Michael B. Broe ◽  
John V. Freudenstein

Abstract— Relationships among members of Ericaceae subfamily Monotropoideae have been difficult to resolve due to reduction and convergent evolution in these parasitic plants. All species in this subfamily are fully mycoheterotrophic, meaning they obtain nutrients by parasitizing fungi rather than through photosynthesis. Here, we examine relationships and host specificity in one of the most widespread species in this subfamily, Monotropa uniflora. We use several lines of evidence to investigate whether there is support for recognizing a segregate, M. brittonii, as distinct. Based on molecular and morphological analysis of Monotropa collected throughout its range in the United States, we find two distinct lineages, one of which corresponds morphologically and geographically to Small’s M. brittonii. We identified several morphological characters that differ between the two species. We also observed a high degree of fungal host specificity in M. brittonii, which appears to parasitize almost exclusively Lactifluus subgenus Lactariopsis section Albati. Additionally, M. brittonii was primarily collected from Florida scrub, which are xeric, shrub-dominated habitats that differ substantially from the mesic forests where M. uniflora typically occurs. Based on these molecular, morphological, and ecological differences, we support recognition of M. brittonii as distinct from M. uniflora.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (24) ◽  
pp. 13677
Author(s):  
Kiril Mishev ◽  
Petre I. Dobrev ◽  
Jozef Lacek ◽  
Roberta Filepová ◽  
Bistra Yuperlieva-Mateeva ◽  
...  

Belowground interactions of plants with other organisms in the rhizosphere rely on extensive small-molecule communication. Chemical signals released from host plant roots ensure the development of beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi which in turn modulate host plant growth and stress tolerance. However, parasitic plants have adopted the capacity to sense the same signaling molecules and to trigger their own seed germination in the immediate vicinity of host roots. The contribution of AM fungi and parasitic plants to the regulation of phytohormone levels in host plant roots and root exudates remains largely obscure. Here, we studied the hormonome in the model system comprising tobacco as a host plant, Phelipanche spp. as a holoparasitic plant, and the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. Co-cultivation of tobacco with broomrape and AM fungi alone or in combination led to characteristic changes in the levels of endogenous and exuded abscisic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, cytokinins, salicylic acid, and orobanchol-type strigolactones. The hormonal content in exudates of broomrape-infested mycorrhizal roots resembled that in exudates of infested non-mycorrhizal roots and differed from that observed in exudates of non-infested mycorrhizal roots. Moreover, we observed a significant reduction in AM colonization of infested tobacco plants, pointing to a dominant role of the holoparasite within the tripartite system.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (24) ◽  
pp. 7681
Author(s):  
Li Li ◽  
Jianbei Teng ◽  
Yilin Zhu ◽  
Fengfeng Xie ◽  
Jing Hou ◽  
...  

The goal of this study was to identify and compare the main biomarkers of Taxillus chinensis from different hosts. A metabolomics approach utilizing ultra-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), including cluster analysis, sample correlation analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis, was used to explore the flavonoid metabolites of Taxillus chinensis growing on different hosts. Results: The total flavonoids content (up to 30.08 mg/g) in Taxillus chinensis from Morus alba (CSG) was significantly higher than that from growth on Liquidambar formosana (CFG) or Clausena lansium (CHG) (p < 0.01). There were 23 different metabolites between CSG and CHG, 23 different metabolites between CSG and CFG, and 19 different metabolites between CHG and CFG. The results demonstrated that different hosts exerted a large influence on the metabolites of Taxillus chinensis; it was found that CSG differed from CFG and CHG in eleven metabolic compounds, ten of which were upregulated and one of which was downregulated. Most of these metabolites derive from compounds contained in the host plant, white mulberry (Morus alba); many feature potent anti-cancer effects. Differences in host can influence the type and abundance of flavonoids in parasitic plants such as Taxillus chinensis, which is of great significance to researchers seeking to understand the formation mechanism of Taxillus chinensis metabolites. Therefore, attention should be paid to the species of host plant when studying the Taxillus chinensis metabolome. Plants grown on Morus alba offer the greatest potential for the development of new anti-cancer drugs.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2690
Author(s):  
Bin J. W. Chen ◽  
Jing Xu ◽  
Xinyu Wang

Cadmium (Cd) is among the most available and most toxic heavy metals taken up by plants from soil. Compared to the classic plant-animal food chains, the host-parasitic plant food chains have, thus far, been largely overlooked in the studies of Cd trophic transfer. To investigate the pattern of Cd transfer during the infection of parasitic plants on Cd-contaminated hosts, we conducted a controlled experiment that grew soybeans parasitized by Chinese dodders (Cuscuta chinensis) in soil with different levels of Cd treatment, and examined the concentration, accumulation, allocation and transfer coefficients of Cd within this parasitic system. Results showed that among all components, dodders accounted for more than 40% biomass of the whole system but had the lowest Cd concentration and accumulated the least amount of Cd. The transfer coefficient of Cd between soybean stems and dodders was much lower than 1, and was also significantly lower than that between soybean stems and soybean leaves. All these features were continuously strengthened with the increase of Cd treatment levels. The results suggested no evidence of Cd biomagnification in dodders parasitizing Cd-contaminated hosts, and implied that the Cd transfer from hosts to dodders may be a selective process.


Plant Ecology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey F. Haynes

AbstractParasitic plants are known for their high transpiration rates and low water use efficiency (WUE), which the N-parasitism hypothesis posits is driven by N limitation. Thus, availability of N-fixing hosts may affect parasite’s WUE and in turn impact the surrounding plant community. Here, I investigate how the availability of an N-fixing host affects the root hemiparasite, Castilleja applegatei, and examines host-mediated effects on community structure and soil moisture. I surveyed plant diversity and percent cover and measured soil moisture in 120 1 × 1 m plots within Sagehen Experimental Forest, CA. Fifty percent of the plots included C. applegatei. In a subset of plots, I measured leaf N, C/N, δ13C, and δ15N in C. applegatei and in one N-fixer (Ceanothus prostratus) and two non-N-fixing plants (Artemisia tridentata and Wyethia mollis). In C. applegatei availability of N-fixing hosts corresponded to a significant increase in leaf %N, a distinct δ15N signature, and an increase in δ13C (which typically signifies an increased WUE). The presence of parasites was associated with a marginally significant decrease in WUE in N-fixing neighbors, but had no effect on the two non-N-fixing species. The presence of parasites did not impact diversity, percent cover, or soil moisture. These results broadly support the N-parasitism hypothesis and indicate that host type can affect parasite’s physiology and therefore have the potential to mediate parasite’s effects in the community; however, community-level impacts were not found here.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 11054
Author(s):  
Fatma ALIA ◽  
Atef CHOUIKH ◽  
Ali Boutlelis DJAHRA ◽  
Aida BOUSBIA BRAHIM ◽  
Sadok NANI ◽  
...  

This work aims to study the effect of different host species on physicochemical and biological properties of the Saharan parasitic plant Cistanche violacea that grows parasitized on two hosts Haloxylon articulatum and a Limonistrum guyonianum in the eastern desert of Algeria. The physicochemical characteristics of C. violcea showed an affinity for the results of both ash and pH and it showed a difference in the amount content of carbohydrates and the value of electrical conductivity. For the content of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins and tannins the highest values were recorded in C. violcea, which was parasitized on H. articulatum. While, the results of HPLC have identified nine compounds in the crude extracts of the parasitic plants and their hosts in different concentrations. In antioxidant activity, the tannin and anthocyanin extracts from C. violcea parasitized on H. articulatum showed better inhibition of DPPH• radical and best the total antioxidant capacity respectively, but the tannins extract of C. violcea parasitized on L. guyonianum given best reducing power capacity. In SPF assay by UV-Vis spectrophotometry method, all extracts of the parasitic plants showed mild to moderate sun protection. Statically the host variation did not show any significant differences in the physicochemical analysis and the quantitative and qualitative total content of polyphenols. While the significant differences appeared through the antioxidant activity tests, especially between C. violcea and its host H. articulatum, between C. violacea and its host H. articulatum and between the two samples of parasitic plants.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 98-114
Author(s):  
B. Khasanov ◽  
A. Khakimov ◽  
U. Khamiraev ◽  
S. Utaganov ◽  
D. Aznabakieva

This paper reviews taxonomy, importance and diseases of pepper plants belonging to Capsicum genus. Five species of the genus are domesticated, Capsicum annuum being the most cultivated species followed by C. chinense and C. frutescens while C. baccatum and C. pubescens are grown in limited areas of some regions. Review of the available literature data has shown that more than 122 species of microorganisms can cause pepper diseases, including >58 species of fungi, 11 oomycetes, 15 bacteria, 32 viruses, > 6 species of nematodes, and some higher parasitic plants. From these 18 species of fungi, 2 oomycetes, one bacterium, two viruses, one root-knot nematode, two species of each of dodder and broomrape have been recorded in Uzbekistan. However, all of these organisms but one powdery mildew fungus has been registered on other than pepper plants. Previously the authors of the current paper have found that deadly crown rot of both sweet and hot peppers caused by Fusarium oxysporum (supposedly f. sp. radici-capsici) occurred widely in six districts of Uzbekistan.


Turczaninowia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 129-137
Author(s):  
Yevgeniya V. Goremykina ◽  
Aleksandra D. Azaryan ◽  
Esong Linda Akime ◽  
Kseniya Y. Leshchina

Numerous narrow xylem tracheary elements (tracheids and vessels) are present in liana stems, along with a few wide vessels that perform the main water-conducting function. This trait, known as “vessel dimorphism”, has been identified in studies on water-conducting tissue in autotrophic plants, including a large number of perennial climbing plants and a number of annual vines. Information is lacking on the presence of vessel dimorphism in parasitic plants of the lianescent habit. In this study, we performed a structural analysis of stems in the autotrophic herbaceous vines of Convolvulus arvensis L. and Calystegia sepium (L.) R. Br., as well as in the parasitic vines of Cuscuta monogyna Vahl, Cuscuta planiflora Ten., Cuscuta approximata Bab., and Cuscuta campestris Yunck., of the family of Convolvulaceae Horan. The xylem of C. arvensis and C. sepium contains a few wide conductive elements and many narrow ones. This feature is typical of autotrophic climbing plants. Only narrow tracheary elements are present in the xylem of the parasitic vines of the genus of Cuscuta L. (dodders). The total number of the tracheary elements is an order of magnitude less in the dodders than it is in the autotrophic vines. It is possible that the autotrophic ancestor of dodders lost the characteristic feature of the xylem of climbing plants, known as vessel dimorphism, during its transition to the parasitic lifestyle.


2021 ◽  
Vol 130 ◽  
pp. 126368
Author(s):  
Olivia Pointurier ◽  
Stéphanie Gibot-Leclerc ◽  
Delphine Moreau ◽  
Nathalie Colbach

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