Parasitic Plants and Weeds Control in Cropping Systems

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Protection, Diseases, Pests and Weeds".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2022) | Viewed by 10419

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Guest Editor
Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (IAS), CSIC, Córdoba, Spain
Interests: weeds; sustainable crop protection; germination; resistance; allelopathy
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Among all agricultural pests, weeds constitute one of the main concerns for farmers regarding productivity, due to their negative impact on crop yield, their ability to persist in agroecosystems, and the decline in the number of authorized herbicides. Among the various types of weeds, parasitic weeds are one of the most difficult to control because of their persistent seedbanks and that their physical and biochemical requirements overlap with those of their host crops, presenting competition in the context of nutrient extraction. The study of pathogenesis between plant species has been a prolific and fascinating research topic for scientists in recent years, but despite this, parasitic plants still represent the most damaging—and in many cases unsolvable—problem for farmers once they appear on farmlands.

This Special Issue welcomes research articles and reviews on studies embracing the disciplines of parasitic plant biology and physiology, population diversity and dynamics, advanced diagnosis and forecasting, cultivation techniques leading to reduction of parasitic weed infection, biocontrol, traditional chemistries, the discovery of natural products with novel mode of herbicidal actions, and breeding for crop allelopathy and crop resistance against parasitic weed infection.

Dr. Mónica Fernández-Aparicio
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • ecology of plant parasitism
  • allelopathy
  • agroecological enhancement of beneficial organisms
  • population dynamics
  • host specificities
  • crop breeding for resistance and allelopathy
  • enhanced virulence and race evolution
  • herbicides
  • integrated parasitic weed management

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 2721 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Phytotoxic Potential of Dregea volubilis (L.f.) Benth. ex Hook.f. and Identification of its Phytotoxic Substances for Weed Control
by Ei Han Kyaw, Arihiro Iwasaki, Kiyotake Suenaga and Hisashi Kato-Noguchi
Agriculture 2022, 12(11), 1826; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12111826 - 01 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1322
Abstract
The phytotoxic potential of plants and the effect of their active components on another plant species is being explored as a potential alternative to synthetic herbicides for weed control. In the current study, we investigated the phytotoxic potential of the leaves of Dregea [...] Read more.
The phytotoxic potential of plants and the effect of their active components on another plant species is being explored as a potential alternative to synthetic herbicides for weed control. In the current study, we investigated the phytotoxic potential of the leaves of Dregea volubilis (L.f.) Benth. ex Hook.f. against four test plants [timothy (Phleum pratense L.), barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)] and observed significant growth inhibition on those plants at concentrations >3 mg D.W. equivalent extract mL−1. A bioassay-governed purification of the D. volubilis extracts using different chromatography phases produced two growth inhibitory compounds, 3-hydroxy-α-ionone (compound 1) and 5-hydroxy-3,4-dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2(5H)-one (compound 2). The compounds retarded the growth of barnyard grass and cress (Lepidium sativum L.) with I50 (concentration required for 50% growth suppression) values ranging from 0.098 to 0.450 mM for 3-hydroxy-α-ionone and 0.029 to 0.420 mM for 5-hydroxy-3,4-dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2(5H)-one. Thus, the extracts and identified compounds may have the possibility to be utilized as bioagents for weed control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants and Weeds Control in Cropping Systems)
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15 pages, 3382 KiB  
Article
Identification of Allelochemicals with Differential Modes of Phytotoxicity against Cuscuta campestris
by Antonio Moreno-Robles, Antonio Cala Peralta, Gabriele Soriano, Jesús G. Zorrilla, Marco Masi, Susana Vilariño-Rodríguez, Alessio Cimmino and Mónica Fernández-Aparicio
Agriculture 2022, 12(10), 1746; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12101746 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1684
Abstract
Cuscuta campestris is a parasitic weed species with noxious effects in broadleaf crops worldwide. The control of Cuscuta in the majority of crops affected is limited or non-existing. We tested, for the first time, the effect of eighteen metabolites in in vitro-grown Cuscuta [...] Read more.
Cuscuta campestris is a parasitic weed species with noxious effects in broadleaf crops worldwide. The control of Cuscuta in the majority of crops affected is limited or non-existing. We tested, for the first time, the effect of eighteen metabolites in in vitro-grown Cuscuta seedlings. We found that 2-benzoxazolinone, hydrocinnamic acid and pisatin caused the strongest inhibition of seedling growth. In addition to seedling growth, pisatin caused necrosis of the Cuscuta seedling, occurring mostly at the seedling shoot. Scopoletin and sesamol treatments caused toxicity, observed as a black staining, only at the Cuscuta root apices, while caffeic acid, ferulic acid and vanillic acid caused toxicity, observed as brown staining, in the root apices. The structure–activity relationships in four structural derivatives of 2-benzoxazolinone, and five structural derivatives of hydrocinnamic acid, were also studied. The identification of new herbicidal modes of action against Cuscuta is the first step in creating new alternatives to sustainable chemical control of parasitic weeds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants and Weeds Control in Cropping Systems)
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12 pages, 2489 KiB  
Article
Phytotoxic Effects of Senna garrettiana and Identification of Phytotoxic Substances for the Development of Bioherbicides
by Ramida Krumsri, Arihiro Iwasaki, Kiyotake Suenaga and Hisashi Kato-Noguchi
Agriculture 2022, 12(9), 1338; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12091338 - 30 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1543
Abstract
Phytotoxic substances in plants that may serve as alternative natural herbicides for controlling weeds are required for sustainable agriculture. We explored the phytotoxic activities of aqueous methanol extracts of Senna garrettiana (Craib) Irwin & Barneby leaves and the active substances they contain. The [...] Read more.
Phytotoxic substances in plants that may serve as alternative natural herbicides for controlling weeds are required for sustainable agriculture. We explored the phytotoxic activities of aqueous methanol extracts of Senna garrettiana (Craib) Irwin & Barneby leaves and the active substances they contain. The results revealed that the S. garrettiana leaf extracts had significant phytotoxic effects on three dicotyledons (Lepidium sativum L., Lactuca sativa L., and Medicago sativa L.) and two monocotyledons (Phleum pratense L. and Lolium multiflorum Lam.). An bioassay-guided isolation process yielded three active substances; caffeic acid, methyl caffeate, and (S)-6-hydroxymellein inhibited the seed germination, seedling growth, and biomass accumulation of L. sativum in a concentration-dependent manner. Based on the concentration required for 50% growth inhibition (IC50), (S)-6-hydroxymellein had the highest inhibitory effects on L. sativum in all test parameters, followed by methyl caffeate and caffeic acid. The L. sativum roots were the most susceptible to (S)-6-hydroxymellein (IC50 = 383 µM) and caffeic acid (IC50 = 2627 µM), whereas methyl caffeate (IC50 = 1361 µM) had the greatest effect on the L. sativum shoots. Thus, three isolated compounds may explain the phytotoxic effects of the S. garrettiana extracts. Consequently, caffeic acid, methyl caffeate, and (S)-6-hydroxymellein could be potential candidates for the future production of bioherbicides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants and Weeds Control in Cropping Systems)
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12 pages, 4011 KiB  
Article
(4Z)-Lachnophyllum Lactone, an Acetylenic Furanone from Conyza bonariensis, Identified for the First Time with Allelopathic Activity against Cuscuta campestris
by Mónica Fernández-Aparicio, Gabriele Soriano, Marco Masi, Pilar Carretero, Susana Vilariño-Rodríguez and Alessio Cimmino
Agriculture 2022, 12(6), 790; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12060790 - 30 May 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2129
Abstract
Cuscuta species are obligate parasitic plants that infect the stems of a wide range of hosts including many crop and weed species causing severe agricultural problems. Using in vitro experiments to screen organic extracts prepared from fifteen autotrophic weed species found in agricultural [...] Read more.
Cuscuta species are obligate parasitic plants that infect the stems of a wide range of hosts including many crop and weed species causing severe agricultural problems. Using in vitro experiments to screen organic extracts prepared from fifteen autotrophic weed species found in agricultural fields infested with Cuscuta campestris, we have identified for the first time a strong phytotoxic activity in Conyza bonariensis extract against C. campestris. Additional pot experiments revealed that seven day-old Cuscuta seedlings had reduced capacity to coil and properly attach on Conyza plants, leading to reduced parasitic weed infection. Via activity-guided fractionation of Conyza extracts, we isolated and identified the acetylenic furanone (4Z)-lachnophyllum lactone as the major active component, with a concentration required to achieve reduction of 50% Cuscuta seedling growth (IC50) of 24.8 µg/mL. The discovery of (4Z)-lachnophyllum lactone bioactivity could aid the development of efficient and sustainable management strategies for C. campestris, whose control is limited or non-existent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants and Weeds Control in Cropping Systems)
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10 pages, 2873 KiB  
Article
Complex Mixture of Arvensic Acids Isolated from Convolvulus arvensis Roots Identified as Inhibitors of Radicle Growth of Broomrape Weeds
by Gabriele Soriano, Mónica Fernández-Aparicio, Marco Masi, Susana Vilariño-Rodríguez and Alessio Cimmino
Agriculture 2022, 12(5), 585; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12050585 - 22 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1820
Abstract
Broomrape weeds (Orobanche and Phelipanche spp.) are noxious parasites that infect crops using haustoria formed at the tip of their radicles. Dichloromethane extract obtained from the roots of Convolvulus arvensis strongly inhibits the radicle growth of broomrape weeds. A complex mixture of [...] Read more.
Broomrape weeds (Orobanche and Phelipanche spp.) are noxious parasites that infect crops using haustoria formed at the tip of their radicles. Dichloromethane extract obtained from the roots of Convolvulus arvensis strongly inhibits the radicle growth of broomrape weeds. A complex mixture of arvensic acids was isolated as the metabolites responsible of the inhibitory activity of C. arvensis extract against broomrape radicle growth via activity-guided fractionation and 1H NMR and ESI MS data. We showed that the exposure of broomrape seedlings to this arvensic acids mixture results in a strong phytotoxic effect on their radicles in four broomrape species infecting a wide range of crops worldwide. This discovery paves the way for the synthesis of new bioherbicides and could contribute to the development of efficient and sustainable management strategies for broomrape weeds, for which control in many crops is limited or non-existing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parasitic Plants and Weeds Control in Cropping Systems)
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