Problem and control of broomrape

Abstract

Floriferous parasites of the genus Orobanche spp. are among the most economically important parasites of sunflower. The dominant species within the genus is Orobanche cumana (O. cernua) or broomrape. In the agroecological region of Serbia, broomrape has been appearing with varying intensity almost every year since the 1990s, causing significant damage only in susceptible hybrids. Broomrape maintains itself in the soil in the form of seeds, which can remain viable for 8-12 years. In addition to this pest’s huge infectious potential, another great problem is caused by the heterogeneity of its population, i.e. by the existence of multiple physiological races, each specific to a particular sunflower-growing region. The dominant race in our country is race E, for which resistant hybrids have been developed (NS-H-Bačvanin, Perun and Šumadinac). The appearance of new broomrape races has been reported in recent years in other countries in the region as well (Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey). The most effective and economically advantageous way to control broomrape is to grow sunflower hybrids resistant to this pest or those resistant to imidazolinone herbicides, such as Rimi or Vitalko.

Parazitne cvetnice iz roda Orobanche pripadaju grupi ekonomski najznačajnijih parazita suncokreta, od kojih je dominantna vrsta Orobanche cumana (O. cernua). U našem agroekološkom području volovod se od devedesetih godina prošlog veka, u manjem ili većem obimu, javlja gotovo svake godine, pri čemu značajne štete prouzrokuje samo na osetljivim hibridima. Održava se semenom u zemljištu, gde zadržava vitalnost 8-12 godina. Pored ogromnog infekcionog potencijala, veliki problem predstavlja i heterogenost populacije, tj. postojanje više fizioloških rasa, specifičnih za pojedine regione gajenja suncokreta. Dominantna u Srbiji je rasa E, prema kojoj postoje otporni hibridi (NS-H-Bačvanin, Perun i Šumadinac). Pojava novih rasa uočljiva je poslednjih godina i u zemljama u regionu (Rumunija, Bugarska, Turska). Najefikasniji i ekonomski najisplativiji način suzbijanja volovoda je gajenje otpornih hibrida suncokreta i hibrida otpornih na herbicide iz grupe imidazolinona (Rimi i Vitalko).