[Seed germination characteristics of parasitic plant and its host recognition mechanisms]

Abstract

Parasitic plants are widely distributed in various ecological environments, with different growth habits and host recognition mechanisms. This paper discussed the distinctive seed germination characteristics of root parasitic plants such as Orobanche and Striga, summarized the signals for parasitic seed germination discovered up to now, and reviewed the effects of various germination signals, plant hormones and several fungal metabolites on the host recognition of parasitic plants, as well as the respiration characteristics during the conditioning, and the activating mechanism of the signals for parasitic seed germination. The induction of various differentiated calli in different Orobanche species, and the establishment of novel in vitro aseptic infection system and its application in the host recognition of parasitic plants were also discussed, with the present problems in researching the recognition mechanisms between parasitic plants and hosts put forward, and the further work prospected.