Some soybean cultivars have ability to induce germination of sunflower broomrape

PLoS One. 2013;8(3):e59715. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0059715. Epub 2013 Mar 27.

Abstract

Sunflower broomrape is a noxious parasitic weed which has caused severe damage to crop ecosystems. Trap crops can release a mixture of allelochemicals to induce the germination of sunflower broomrape. We studied the allelopathic effects of soybean on sunflower broomrape. Fourteen common soybean cultivars were grown in pots. Samples were collected from soybean plants and rhizosphere soil at five growth stages (V1, V3, V5, R2, and R4). The allelopathic effects of soybean reached highest at the V3 stage. Methanolic extracts of soybean roots induced higher broomrape germination than methanolic extracts of stems or leaves. The germination rates induced by root extracts (10-fold dilution) were positively correlated with germination rates induced by stem (10-fold dilution) and leaf extracts (10-fold dilution). The broomrape germination rates induced by root extracts were also positively correlated with soybean nodule diameter and dry weight. The results indicated that soybeans could induce sunflower broomrape germination. We conclude that soybean has the potential to be used as a trap crop for sunflower broomrape.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ecotype*
  • Germination / drug effects
  • Germination / physiology*
  • Glycine max / drug effects
  • Glycine max / physiology*
  • Orobanche / drug effects
  • Orobanche / growth & development*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Rhizosphere
  • Soil

Substances

  • Plant Extracts
  • Soil

Grants and funding

This work is supported by the National “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” Science and Technology projects (2011BAD31B05) and National Natural Science Foundation Project (30870403). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.