Branched broomrape (Orobanche ramosa L.) control in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) by trap crops and other plant species in rotation

Abstract

Abstract Forty-four plant species of 13 families were tested as trap plants reducing Orobanche ramosa L. infestation on tomato under glasshouse conditions. Many species were parasitized but Orobanche shoot number and dry weight were varied. Petroselinum sativum Hoffm and Trifolium alexandrinum L. were the most infested and Origanum syriacum L. and Citrullus vulgaris Schard. the least. Tomato growth was reduced after many tested species and none prevented parasite infection. Parasite shoot number was the highest on tomato followed Anethum graveolens L., C. vulgaris, Cucumis melo var. flexuosus L., Pimpinella anisum L., Sesamum indicum L., Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav., Sorghum vulgare Pers., Spinacia oleracea L., and T. alexandrinum and the lowest after Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck, Brassica rapa L. var. rapa, Capsicum annuum L., Capsicum frutescens L., Cicer arietinum L., Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad., Cucurbita maxima Duch., Cuminum cyminum L., Hordeum vulgare L., Linum usitatissimum L., Spinacia oleracea L. cv. Epinard greant and Vigna sinensis (L.) Savi. Parasite dry weight per shoot was the lowest on tomato grown after C. arietinum, C. frutescens, Cucumis melo L., Hibiscus sabdariffa L., P. anisum and T. alexandrinum but the highest after Cichorium endivia L. var. crispum Lam., Peganum harmala L., S. oleracea cv. Epinard greant, and Zea mays L. Tomato shoot dry weight increased by 126% over parasite-free control following Ecballium elaterium (L.) A. Rich. and parasite infestation reduced by 56% of the Orobanche-infested control. Considering the average of two experiments, high tomato growth and best parasite control (73% reduction) were obtained after V. sinensis. H. sabdariffa, H. vulgare, and S. vulgare reduced both Orobanche infestation and tomato growth.