Developing a thief: Haustoria formation in parasitic plants

Flavonoids promote haustoria formation in the root parasite triphysaria versicolor

Parasitic plants in the Scrophulariaceae develop infective root structures called haustoria in response to chemical signals released from host-plant roots. This study used a simple in vitro assay to characterize natural and synthetic molecules that induce haustoria in the facultative parasite Triphysaria versicolor. Several phenolic acids, flavonoids, and the quinone 2,6-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinon...

To Catch a Thief

To catch a thief, spy, money launderer, insider trader, tax evader, narcotics trafficker or anyone exhibiting patterns of "noncompliant" behavior can be effectively performed using a combination of strategic (proactive) and tactical (reactive) analytical techniques. The exact definition of a noncompliant pattern will vary according to the activities occurring within the domain for which it is b...

Parasitic Plants of the World

Horizontal gene transfer in parasitic plants.

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between species has been a major focus of plant evolutionary research during the past decade. Parasitic plants, which establish a direct connection with their hosts, have provided excellent examples of how these transfers are facilitated via the intimacy of this symbiosis. In particular, phylogenetic studies from diverse clades indicate that parasitic plants repre...

Rhizosphere communication of plants, parasitic plants and AM fungi.

Plants use an array of secondary metabolites to defend themselves against harmful organisms and to attract others that are beneficial. However, the attraction of beneficial organisms could also lead to abuse by malevolent organisms. An exciting example of such abuse is the relationship between plants, beneficial mutualistic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and harmful parasitic plants. Signalling m...