Parasitic flowering plants deprive the host plants of water, nutrients, and
assimilates. Data also suggests that parasites transmit inhibitory compounds to hosts.
Several species of the genera Striga and Orobanche (root parasites), as well as some
species of Cuscuta and Loranthus (stem parasites), are widely distributed worldwide
and cause substantial damage to economically important plants. The chapter elucidates
the optimal strategies for addressing the issues of parasite infestations by incorporating
a range of well-established methodologies. The effective management of parasitic
weeds can be achieved through the implementation of various strategies. These include
the cultivation of crop varieties that exhibit resistance or low susceptibility to the
parasites, utilizing non-host crops as trap crops, employing pre-emergent and postemergent herbicides in combination with bio-herbicides, and manually removing the
parasites.
Keywords: Identification, Management, Parasitic weeds
