Parasitic Weeds

Parasitic weeds could be considered as a separate world within the weed 'universe'. This is because of their unique systems that allow them to interact with the host plants in almost every phase of their life-cycle. This chapter considers parasitic weeds in Europe the nature of the problem, the unique features of their biology and implications for control, and the prospects for the use of new technologies in their control. It focuses on three genera of parasitic plants, namely Orobanche, Phelipanche and Cuscuta, which include weedy species threatening crops at the European level and in the Mediterranean Basin. The chapter briefly outlines the most advanced and/or promising approaches in parasitic weed management. Assembling specialists with different perspectives, all focused around the common theme of plant parasitism, could provide a stimulating opportunity for finding common and novel strategies for parasitic plant management.