Resource availability and parasitism intensity influence the response of soybean to the parasitic plant Cuscuta australis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Parasitic plants can damage crop plants and consequently cause yield losses and thus threaten food security. Resource availability (e.g., phosphorus, water) has an important role in the response of crop plants to biotic attacks. However, how the growth of crop plants under parasitism are affected by environmental resource fluctuation is poorly understood.

Methods

We conducted a pot experiment to test the effects of the intensity of Cuscuta australis parasitism and the availability of water and phosphorus (P) on soybean shoot and root biomass.

Results and discussion

We found that low-intensity parasitism caused ~6% biomass reduction, while high-intensity parasitism caused ~26% biomass reduction in soybean. Under 5-15% water holding capacity (WHC), t

SUBMITTER: Yuan YG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10203557 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature