First Report of <i>Phelipanche tunetana</i> on Brussels Sprouts in Morocco

Between June and July 2021, during a field survey in Agadir province, southern Morocco (30°20′37.8″ N, 9°26′38.2″ W), the parasitic plant Phelipanche tunetana was found parasitizing Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera L. (brussels sprouts, Brassicaceae) plants. Morphological characterization, molecular analysis, and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the identification of the parasite. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. tunetana infecting brussels sprouts in Morocco. These findings suggest that P. tunetana could potentially spread to other Brassica crop-growing regions in Morocco in the future. Therefore, appropriate management strategies must be undertaken urgently to prevent further expansion of this parasitic weed.