The Relationship between European yellow mistletoe (Loranthus europaeus Jacq.) and habitat factors and structure in Zagros forests (Case study: Ghalajeh forests, Kermanshah province)

The semi-parasitic European yellow mistletoe (Loranthus europaeus Jacq.) is one of the harmful and damaging factors to the Zagros forests. This study to analyze the causes of infected trees by European yellow mistletoe was conducted in the Ghalajeh forests in Kermanshah province. To carry out this study, completely infected trees were examined by using the tree-to-tree sampling method. Required data including habitat characteristics and host tree characteristics such as tree species, diameter at breast height (DBH), length of the tree, crown area, and severity of European yellow mistletoe infection recorded in three parts on crown through the DMR method. The results showed that Persian oak includes 80.4% of the region's trees. The state of tree infection to European yellow mistletoe showed that the highest infection rate consisted of the Persian oak species (91.9%). Typically, 60 and 65 cm diameter classes, 15-meter-high tree height, and 9 square-meter crown class had the highest infection. Among the physiographic factors in the study site, the highest impact on the abundance of European yellow mistletoe-infected trees is related to the altitude factor. The variance test results demonstrated a significant difference between the severity of infected trees in the DBH classes, height, and crown area of trees (p=0.5). By increasing the number of characteristics of trees (i.e. diameter, length, and crown area), the severity of infection increases.  Therefore, it suggested that to control the spread of mistletoe in different habitat conditions such as slope, altitude, geographical direction, two-story, and old-growth trees with outsized dimensions should be given priority.