The effects of different amounts of branched broomrape (Phelipanche ramosa (L.) Pomel) seeds on some cultivated plants

Phelipanche ramosa (L.) Pomel (Syn: Orobanche ramosa L.), also known as branched broomrape, is a holoparasite belonging to the family Orobanchaceae. Broomrape prefers tomato, eggplant and potato from Solanaceae family and lentil, sunflower and broad bean from legumes as hosts. In this study, it was aimed to determine the effects of different rates of branched broomrape seeds on some plant growth parameters. The study was carried out in the laboratory and climate room of Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Plant Protection Department in 2022. In the study, branched broomrape, tomato, eggplant and pepper plants were used. Before these plants were planted 250, 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 seeds of branched broomrape were mixed homogeneously to a soil depth of 8 cm in each pot. The experiment was planned according to the completely randomized experimental design with four replications; two tomatoes, two peppers and one eggplant in each pot. According to the results, it was observed that broomrape was attached only to the roots of tomato and eggplant, but not peppers. The increase in the amount of branched broomrape seeds increased the number of tubercles. It was determined that the number of leaves, shoot length, root length, shoot diameter, chlorophyll content, total fresh and dry biomass of tomato and the number of leaves and shoot length in eggplant decreased as the weed infestation increased. It can also be stated that the increased number of seeds did not have a negative effect in terms of intraspecific competition.