Parasitic Plants
Parasitic plants are an interesting species. They are inclined to grow in the direction of a host plant due to the affect of volatile chemicals secreted by the host plant. Volatile chemicals are secreted to a greater or lesser degree by all plants. Parasitism in the context of plants is a relationship in which one organism uses the nutrients and water of another plant, the host, to the detriment of the host. Parasitic plants belong to about 15 families of flowering plants.Scientists studying this phenomenon at Penn State University in the USA carried out research which revealed the usefulness of these volatile plant chemicals. For example volatile plant chemicals could be biologically engineered to repel the growth of certain unwanted plants (weeds) in cereals and other tillage crops. Research is continuing into the future uses of volatile plant chemicals. Hopefully more groundbreaking developments will occur soon.
posted by Thomas @ 12:53 am
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