Pervin Erdoğan

By Pervin Erdogan

Parasitic plants are among the most problematic pests of agricultural crops worldwide. They are found worldwide in all plant communities except aquatic. Parasitic plants are the organisms that settle in the host plant by means of the special organs they have developed and penetrate the vascular tissues of the hosts and meet their nutritional, water and mineral needs from the host plant. This particular body they have is called a haustorium. The discovery and investigation of the haustorium structures led to the evaluation of many heterotrophic plant species previously defined as parasitic plants in different groups. Host organisms are very important in completing the life cycle of parasitic plants. In general, the parasite weakens the host, so it produces fewer flowers and viable seeds or the value of the timber is reduced. However, some parasites, mostly annual root parasites belonging to the Orobanchaceae, can kill the host and cause significant economic damage while attacking monocultures in agriculture, and much effort is put into controlling these harmful parasites. Parasitic weeds are difficult to control because there are few resources for crop resistance and it is difficult to apply sufficiently selective control methods to kill weeds without physically and biochemically damaging the crop to which they are attached.

Part of the book: Parasitic Plants

By Pervin Erdogan and Zemran Mustafa

Garlic (Allium sativum) is a hardy perennial member of the onion family presumably native to Central Asia; however, it has long been naturalized in southern Europe and throughout the world. Onion, on the other hand, is used all over the world, and its consumption depends mostly on the income level of consumers. It is an indispensable vegetable in the kitchen of many homes. Onions take third place in vegetable production after potato and tomato in Turkey. Mites, nematodes, and insect species cause damage to these plants, reducing considerably their yield. Among these pests, the most destructive are Delia platura Meigen (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) and Delia antiqua Meigen (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). The crop losses can sometimes reach up to 100%, depending on the crop and density of the pest. There are different methods to control these pests that vary by the pest type and the crop being applied. D. platura eat the contents of newly planted seeds, leaving empty seed shells and preventing germination. Also, D. antiqua. Young onions are particularly vulnerable. When the hide and bulb become entangled in the damaged plant, development stops, the plant turns yellow, and it breaks. Both pests are controlled using biological and chemical methods.

Part of the book: Advances in Diptera