PJB-2024-1544
Host range and host preference of Cuscuta species (Convolvulaceae) in Karak, Kohat and Bannu districts, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Asif Mehmood, Amir Sultan, Tahir Iqbal, Nisar Ahmad, Mahrine Rashid and Sayed Afzal Shah
Abstract
Cuscuta is a genus of parasitic plants that negatively impact crops and valuable timber trees. Ecological surveys are needed to improve our understanding of the Cuscuta-host relationships and to monitor such losses. In this study, Karak, Kohat and Bannu districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan were explored to determine the host range and host preferences of Cuscuta species. Two species, C. campestris Yunck. and C. reflexa Roxb. were documented. Cuscuta campestris was found parasitic on 12 plant species representing 12 genera and nine families, while, C. reflexa was found parasitic on 11 plant species representing 10 genera and nine families. Both species are generalist species with Shannon Weiner Index values of 1.42 for C. reflexa and 2.22 for C. campestris. Rhamnaceae was the preferred host family for C. reflexa while Asteraceae had the highest number of host species for C. campestris. It is inferred that the two Cuscuta species have a diverse host range with little host overlap, clearly exhibiting taxonomic resource partitioning to minimize interspecies competition when they occur in sympatry
To Cite this article:
Mehmood, A., A. Sultan, T. Iqbal, N. Ahmad, M. Rashid and S.A. Shah. 2024. Host range and host preference of Cuscuta species (Convolvulaceae) in Karak, Kohat and Bannu districts, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Pak. J. Bot., 56(5): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2024-5(1)
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