About this Research Topic
When the host plants for certain parasitic plants are crops, the parasitic species become a threat to agriculture and targets for control. One of the most serious issues is caused by a parasitic weed, Striga hermonthica, in African countries. Numerous efforts have been made to solve the problems caused by parasitic weeds in each sector of the economy. From the viewpoint of plant science, great progress has been achieved in the 21st century to gain insight into the parasitic lifecycles and interaction between hosts. Those new findings can be applied to establish novel science-based control strategies for parasitic weeds.
The most successful chemical control of a parasitic weed utilized ethylene to eradicate Striga asiatica in the United States in the 1980s. Since then, however, damage caused by parasitic weeds is still expanding. At the same time, sophisticated molecules for parasitic weed control have been developed with a deepened knowledge of chemical signaling in plants. In addition to chemical control, biological and biotechnological control is also important for sustainable agriculture and integrated pest management. New techniques, such as small RNAs or genome editing, have opened the way to conquer parasitic weeds. In this Research Topic, we invite contributors working on the development of novel chemicals, biologics, or biotechnologies for parasitic weed control based on the science of parasitic plants.
We welcome the submission of original research and review articles related to parasitic weed (witchweeds, broomrapes, mistletoes, dodders, etc.) control including, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Screening and structure-activity relationship of chemicals
• Screening of biological resources and their effects on parasites
• Characterization of molecules, such as enzymes, as targets for control
• Biotechnological approaches suppressing the invasion or growth of parasites
• Discovery of genes conferring resistance toward parasites
• Field trials of these methods
• Theory or principle
• Ecological studies related to parasitic weed control
The most successful chemical control of a parasitic weed utilized ethylene to eradicate Striga asiatica in the United States in the 1980s. Since then, however, damage caused by parasitic weeds is still expanding. At the same time, sophisticated molecules for parasitic weed control have been developed with a deepened knowledge of chemical signaling in plants. In addition to chemical control, biological and biotechnological control is also important for sustainable agriculture and integrated pest management. New techniques, such as small RNAs or genome editing, have opened the way to conquer parasitic weeds. In this Research Topic, we invite contributors working on the development of novel chemicals, biologics, or biotechnologies for parasitic weed control based on the science of parasitic plants.
We welcome the submission of original research and review articles related to parasitic weed (witchweeds, broomrapes, mistletoes, dodders, etc.) control including, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Screening and structure-activity relationship of chemicals
• Screening of biological resources and their effects on parasites
• Characterization of molecules, such as enzymes, as targets for control
• Biotechnological approaches suppressing the invasion or growth of parasites
• Discovery of genes conferring resistance toward parasites
• Field trials of these methods
• Theory or principle
• Ecological studies related to parasitic weed control
Keywords: Parasitic weeds, Chemical control, Biological control, sustainable agriculture, integrated pest management, crops, Parasitic weed control, Biotechnical control
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
