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posted by janrinok on Saturday August 01 2015, @02:04PM   Printer-friendly
from the rooting-for-the-good-guys dept.

An international team of researchers led by scientists at the University of Georgia has discovered how parasitic plants, which steal their nutrients from another living plant, evolved the ability to detect and attack their hosts. Their findings, published recently in the journal Science, could lead to new techniques to control the thieving weeds.
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As plant roots grow, they release hormones called strigolactones into the soil. This is a signal that normally helps fungi form a beneficial connection to the plant, in which they each trade nutrients. But the seeds of parasitic plants also possess the ability to sense strigolactones, which prompt them to germinate, attach to the host root and syphon off nutrients.

"It's kind of like root radar," said Nelson, who is also a member of UGA's Plant Center. "But the incredible thing is that this strigolactone detection system seems to have evolved from plant genes that normally control a seed's ability to detect fire."

When a forest burns, compounds in the smoke and ash leach into the soil. Many plants have evolved the ability to detect these compounds, which signal that their competition--large shady trees or dense ground cover--has been destroyed and it might be an opportune time to grow.

The findings could lead to new weed control strategies.


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  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by shortscreen on Saturday August 01 2015, @07:17PM

    by shortscreen (2252) on Saturday August 01 2015, @07:17PM (#216821) Journal

    Weeds are not parasitic. Weeds compete with and displace desirable plants.

    An example of a parasitic plant would be Indian Pipe. These are completely white and grow in the shade where there isn't much else growing, but there is a host root system and fungi to leech from.

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