Parasitic plant management in sustainable agriculture

Abstract

Parasitic weeds are becoming major constraints to many crops in Mediterranean and tropical agriculture and the efficacy of available means to control them is minimal. By far the most economically damaging parasites are Striga spp. (witchweeds), Orobanche spp. and Phelipanche spp. (the broomrapes) and Cuscuta spp. (dodders). Some Orobanche and Phelipanche species are of major importance in Europe.