Natural compounds for novel strategies of parasitic plant management

Parasitic plants are among the worst weed problems, being responsible for major losses to many crops. Considering that seed germination is one of the key phases for parasite development, natural compounds could play interesting roles in the management of parasitic plants. For example, fungal toxins produced by phytopathogenic fungi could be used, depending on their biological and chemical characteristics, as natural herbicides or as biomarkers to select more efficacious mycoherbicides. Alternative strategies, such as the use of natural amino acids to cause physiological disorders of germinating seeds, the selection of more virulent fungi producing toxins, and the use of metabolites isolated from host root exudates for soil application, to stimulate "suicidal germination" of seeds and reduce the seed bank, are also possible.