UC Weed Science

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Photo 2: Brad Hanson, a professor of Cooperative Extension in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, examines a stock of Orobanche ramosa pulled from off a tomato plant in nearby Woodland, where scientists are studying the parasitic weed. (Emily C. Dooley/UC Davis)
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Parasitic weeds threaten tomato plants on California farms

October 9th, 2023
At first glance, Orobanche ramosa looks like an interesting blossoming plant, one that could add a unique flair to flower arrangements. But it's a parasitic weed that attaches to roots, sucks out nutrients and is threatening California's $1.5 billion processing tomato industry.
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Figure 1: Broomrape species
a: Egyptian broomrape (left) grown in bio-control greenhouse with branched broomrape (right), b: branched broomrape, c: two color morphs of small broomrape, d: ivy broomrape e: dessert broomrape
Article

Broomrape Species: ecological insights and economic significance

September 28th, 2023
By Bradley Hanson
The Orobanchaceae family comprises 270 holoparasitic species that cannot photosynthesize. Instead, they rely entirely on the host plant roots for nutrition, and can produce great numbers of minute, dust-like seeds that last for years in the soil.
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