Screening candidate plant species as trap and catch crops for the control of broomrape (Phelipanche mutelii) in rapeseed (Brassica napus)

Abstract

Broomrapes (Orobanche and Phelipanche species) are parasitic weeds that infect crops. To evaluate crops that can reduce broomrape damage as a trap or catch crop, two experiments were conducted for three years (2018–2020) under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that the tested crops were classified into three groups. The first group was non-hosts of P. mutelii, including cotton, garlic, flax, and cowpea. The second group of crops acted as catch crops and was parasitized by P.mutelii, including faba bean, annual red clover, mung bean, and hairy vetch. Among the catch crops, hairy vetch had the highest percentage of P. mutelii reduction in shoot numbers and dry biomass by 81% and 85%, respectively. Also, the highest percentage increase in shoot and root dry biomass was achieved by 70% and 79% in rapeseed-hairy vetch rotation. The third group was berseem clover which acted as a trap crop and stimulated.P. mutelii seed germination without supporting parasitism. If berseem clover is sown as a trap crop in rotation with rapeseed infested by P. mutelii, it can reduce shoot numbers and dry biomass of broomrape by 70% and increase the dry biomass of aerial parts and roots of rapeseed by 62% and 60%, respectively.