Abstract
Parasitic plants invade and rob host plants of water, minerals and carbohydrates. Host attachment, invasion and resource acquisition is mediated through a parasite-encoded organ called the haustorium. Since the vast majority of plants don't develop haustoria, it is of interest to understand the genetic mechanisms that provide parasites with this novel organ. Host–parasite signaling has been most extensively investigated in the Orobanchaceae, a family of root parasites that includes some of the world's worst agricultural weeds. The need for host resources varies widely among different Orobanchaceae species. Facultative hemiparasites, essentially autotrophic plants that are able to make haustoria, grow fine without ever attacking a host. In contrast, obligate holoparasites are incapable of photosynthesis and require host attachment soon after germination to survive. While morphologically quite different, all parasitic Orobanchaceae develop haustoria in response to chemical and tactile cues provided by their host plants. This review will focus on host signal recognition by hemiparasites, since they represent the earliest stage in the evolutionary transition from autotrophy to heterotrophy. Parasitic plant–host plant interactions provide an excellent illustration of how plants respond to signals in their environments, and how they in turn alter the environment in which they live.
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Yoder, J.I., Gunathilake, P., Jamison-McClung, D. (2009). Hemiparasitic Plants: Exploiting Their Host’s Inherent Nature to Talk. In: Balu¿ka, F. (eds) Plant-Environment Interactions. Signaling and Communication in Plants. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-89230-4_5
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