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Bioscience Discovery, 8(4): 738-746, October - 2017

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Research Article

Host Diversity of The Parasitic Genus Cuscuta in Northern Part of

West Bengal, India

Anup Kumar Sarkar1, 2, Manas Dey3 and Mallika Mazumder 4

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Dukhulal Nibaran Chandra College, Aurangabad, Murshidabad,

West Bengal, India. Pin-742201. 2 Former Guest Lecturer, Department of Botany, Prasanna Deb Women’s College, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal,

India. Pin-735101. 3 Assistant Teacher, Jurapani High School, Jurapani, Dhupguri, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, India. Pin-735210. 4 Post Graduate Student, Department of Botany, Raiganj University, Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal, India.Pin-

733134

Email id: [email protected]

Article Info

Abstract

Received: 16-08-2017,

Revised: 20-09-2017,

Accepted: 24-09-2017

Host diversity of the parasitic genus Cuscuta is very wide. To evaluate the host

diversity of the plant in the Northern part of the Indian state West Bengal, gradual

surveys were conducted. Host plants were identified and characterized on the

basis of their habits. In the present investigation 73 host species representing 30

families were recorded as the host plant.

Keywords:

Parasitic Plant, Host,

Diversity, Cuscuta

INTRODUCTION

Cuscuta spp. is the most common obligate shoot

parasite of plant kingdom. The genus is almost

worldwide in distribution. The genus consists of

about 200 parasitic species (Dawson, 1994). This

parasitic genus has no root and their leaves are

reduced to minute scales. The members of the genus

are further divided into three subgenera based on

morphology of style and stigmas: Monogyna,

Cuscuta and Grammica (Mc Neal, 2007). Usually

they make a tangled mass covering the host plants.

The genus is commonly known as dodder. It is also

called as Swarnalata in Bengali. Traditional healers

called in Hindi Akash bel, in Tamil Akashavalli.

Other names include hell weed, devil's gut, and

beggar weed, strangle tare, scald weed, dodder of

thyme, greater dodder, and lesser dodder. It is an

extensive climber parasite. It occurs throughout the

plains of India. It has no chlorophyll and cannot

make its own food by photosynthesis. Some research

studies say that the plant has very low levels of

chlorophyll and can slightly photosynthesis. The

genus is classified as holoparasitic and all species are

reliant on a host plant to complete their life cycle

(Hibberd, 2001; van der Kooij, 2000). Cuscuta spp.

is economically one of the most important groups of

parasitic plants. The parasite causes damage to a

number of crop plants (e.g. alfalfa, clover, tomato,

tobacco, sugarbeet and carrot). However, the vast

majority of Cuscuta species are not considered

weeds, as less than 20 species worldwide are known

to cause agricultural damage (Dawson, 1994). Most

of the species of Cuscuta are entirely dependent on

the host plants for nutrition.

http://biosciencediscovery.com 739 ISSN: 2231-024X (Online)

Anup Kumar Sarkar et al.,

The stem is thread like filaments it is begin to grow

and attach themselves to nearby host plants. In the

present investigation, surveys were made during

2015 to 2017 to locate the host plants of Cuscuta in

the Northern part of West Bengal, India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The host plants of Cuscuta were collected from

different localities of 7 districts of West Bengal and

identified by using recent standard books and

relevant litteratue. The districts are Jalpaiguri,

Alipurduar, Cooch-Behar, Darjeeling, Uttar

Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur and Malda. The hosts

were categorized in accordance with herbs, shrubs,

climbers, lianas, trees; angiosperms, gymnosperms,

and their families; medicinal, ecological and

economically important plants.

RESULTS

In the present investigation 73 host species

representing 30 families were recorded as host plant

of Cuscuta (Table 1.). The present results clearly

indicate that the range of host of Cuscuta is quite

wide. Most of the host plants are dicotyledons.

Table 1: List of host plants of Cuscuta collected from Northern part of West Bengal.

Sr.

NO NAME OF THE HOST

PLANT

FAMILY VERNACULA

R NAME

HABIT

STATUS OF

OCCURANCE

1 Justicia adhatoda L. Acanthaceae Vasaka Shrub/

Under

tree

Much frequent

2 Justicia gendarussa Burm.f. Acanthaceae Bishalyakarani Shrub Medium occurrence 3 Achyranthes aspera L. Amaranthaceae Apang Herb Rarely occurrence

4 Amaranthus viridis L. Amaranthaceae Notey-shak Herb Rarely occurrence

5 Amaranthus spinosus L. Amaranthaceae Kanta-jhop Herb Rarely occurrence

6 Lannea coromandelica (Houtt.)

Merr.

Anacardiaceae Jiga Tree Much frequent

7 Mangifera indica L. Anacardiaceae Aam Tree Much frequent

8 Annona squamosa L. Annonaceae Aata Tree Accidentally

occurrence

9 Nerium oleander L. Apocynaceae Rakta-Karabi Shrub Rarely occurrence

10 Calotropis gigantea (L.) Dryand. Apocynaceae Boro-Akanda Shrub/

Under

tree

Highly frequent

11 Cascabela thevetia (L.) Lippold Apocynaceae Karabi Shrub/

Under

tree

Much frequent

12 Tabernaemontana divaricata (L.)

R.Br. ex Roem. &Schult.

Apocynaceae Tagor Shrub/

Under

tree

Highly frequent

13 Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. Apocynaceae Chatim Tree Highly frequent

14 Calotropis procera (Aiton)

Dryand.

Apocynaceae Akanda Shrub Highly frequent

15 Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Araceae Kachu Herb Rarely occurance

16 Chromolaena odorata (L.) R. M.

King&H.Rob.

Asteraceae Asamlata Shrub Much frequent

17 Mikania micrantha Kunth Asteraceae Taralata/

Josuralata

Climber Highly frequent

18 Enhydra fluctuans DC. Asteraceae Helencha Herb Rarely occurrence

19 Parthenium hysterophorus L. Asteraceae Gajar-Ghans Herb Much frequent

20 Trema orientalis (L.) Blume Cannabaceae Charcoal/Jivani

tree

Tree Medium occurrence


21 Ipomoea carnea Jacq. Convolvulaceae Dahl-kalmi Shrub Highly frequent

22 Argyreia roxburghii (Wall.) Arn.

ex Choisy

Convolvulaceae Golsadapata

gachh/Kathkeawa Climber Rarely occurrence

23 Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt Cucurbitaceae Telakucha Climber Medium occurrence

24 Luffa cylindrica (L.) M. Roem. Cucurbitaceae Tori Climber Rarely occurrence

25 Dioscorea bulbifera L. Dioscoreaceae Kukuralu Climber Medium occurrence

26 Elaeocarpus serratus L. Elaeocarpaceae Jalpai Tree Medium occurrence

27 Ricinus communis L. Euphorbiaceae Rerhi Shrub Medium occurrence

28 Croton bonplandianus Baill. Euphorbiaceae Ban tulsi Herb Rarely occurrence

29 Codiaeum variegatum (L.)

Rumph. ex A.Juss.

Euphorbiaceae Pata-bahar Shrub Medium occurrence

30 Jatropha curcas L. Euphorbiaceae Bharanda Shrub Highly frequent

31 Chrozophora plicata (Vahl) A.

Juss. ex Spreng.

Euphorbiaceae KhudiOkhra Herb Medium occurrence

32 Trewia nudiflora L. Euphorbiaceae Pithali tree Tree Medium occurrence

33 Senna tora (L.) Roxb. Fabaceae Panevar/Chaku

nda

Herb Accidentally

occurrence

34 Senna sophera (L.) Roxb. Fabaceae Kasondi Shrub Medium occurrence

35 Erythrina variegata L. Fabaceae Mother tree Tree Much frequent

36 Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb. Fabaceae Nata/Nata-

karanja

Shrub Medium occurrence

37 Acacia nilotica (L.) Delile Fabaceae Babool Tree Much frequent

38 Clerodendrum infortunatum L. Lamiaceae Bhantful Shrub Highly frequent

39 Clerodendrum chinense (Osbeck)

Mabb.

Lamiaceae Honolulu rose Shrub Accidentally

occurrence

40 Anisomeles indica (L.) Kuntze Lamiaceae Gobura/Gopali/

Apang

Herb Medium occurrence

41 Volkameria inermis L. Lamiaceae Banajai Shrub Medium occurrence

42 Sida acuta Burm. f. Malvaceae Sweat Berela Shrub Much frequent

43 Urena lobata L. Malvaceae Lapetua Herb Rarely occurrence

44 Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. Malvaceae Jaba Shrub Much frequent

45 Melastoma malabathricum L. Melastomatacea

e

Futki Shrub Much frequent

46 Ficus hispidaL.f. Moraceae Fig/Dumur Tree Medium occurrence

47 Ficus benghalensis L. Moraceae Bot Tree Rarely occurrence

48 Ficus religiosa L. Moraceae Pakur/Asbattha Tree Rarely occurrence

49 Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. Moraceae Kanthal Tree Medium occurrence

50 Streblus asper Lour. Moraceae Sheora Tree Highly frequent

51 Musa balbisiana Colla. Musaceae Bitcha-kola Herb Medium occurrence

52 Argemone mexicana L. Papaveraceae Siyalkanta Herb Accidentally

occurrence

53 Phyllanthus reticulates Poir. Phyllanthaceae Panjuli/Kalovui

amla

Shrub Much frequent

54 Persicaria orientalis (L.) Spach Polygonaceae Bara

Panimarich

Herb Accidentally

occurrence

55 Persicaria hydropiper (L.)

Delarbre

Polygonaceae BishKatali Herb Medium occurrence

56 Oryza sativa L. Poaceae Paddy/Dhaan Herb Accidentally

occurrence

57 Bambusa tulda Roxb. Poaceae Bans Under

tree

Accidentally

occurrence


58 Ziziphus jujuba Mill. Rhamnaceae Borokul Tree Highly frequent

59 Ziziphus oenopolia (L.) Mill. Rhamnaceae Chotokul Shrub Medium occurrence

60 Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.)

Bosser

Rubiaceae Kadam Tree Medium occurrence

61 Catunaregam spinosa (Thunb.)

Tirveng.

Rubiaceae Moina-kata Shrub Medium occurrence

62 Citrus maxima (Burm.) Merr. Rutaceae Batabi Lebu Tree Highly frequent

63 Citrus aurantiifolia (Christm.)

Swingle

Rutaceae Kaghzi Lebu Shrub Medium occurrence

64 Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa Rutaceae Bel Tree Accidentally

occurrence

65 Citrus medica L. Rutaceae Pati Lebu Shrub Accidentally

occurrence

66 Glycosmis pentaphylla (Retz.)

DC.

Rutaceae Ash sheora Shrub Highly frequent

67 Lantana camara L. Verbenaceae Raimuniya Shrub Highly frequent

68 Datura metel L. Solanaceae Dhatura Herb Medium occurrence

69 Solanum torvum Sw. Solanaceae Gota-Begun Shrub Medium occurrence

70 Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam. Solanaceae Sada Kantikari Herb Highly frequent

71 Solanum viarum Dunal. Solanaceae Soda-apple Shrub Medium occurrence

72 Dendrocnide sinuata (Blume)

Chew.

Urticaceae Chotra-pata Herb Accidentally

occurrence

73 Curcuma caesia Roxb. Zingiberaceae Bon-Haldi Herb Accidentally

occurrence

CONCLUSION

In present study systematic survey and identification

of the host’s plants has been conducted to find out

the host plants of Cuscuta from different localities of

Northern part of West Bengal. In this study 73 host

species were recorded. The study revealed that

Cuscuta are abundant in the study sites. Ziziphus

jujuba Mill., Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br.,

Tabernaemontana divaricata (L.) R.Br. ex Roem. &

Schult., Calotropis gigantea (L.) Dryand.,

Calotropis procera (Aiton.) Dryand., Mangifera

indica L., Solanum sisymbriifolium Lam., Glycosmis

pentaphylla (Retz.) DC., Clerodendrum

infortunatum L.etc are found as the most favourable

hosts for Cuscuta. The present result also revealed

that in absence of suitable host Cuscuta use some

alternative host plants. Such alternative hosts are

Justicia gendarussa Burm.f., Senna tora (L.) Roxb.,

Annona squamosa L., Clerodendrum chinense

(Osbeck.) Mabb., Argemone mexicana L., Aegle

marmelos (L.) Correa., Citrus medica L.,

Dendrocnide sinuata (Blume.) Chew., Curcuma

caesia Roxb. etc. The study further suggested to the

followers for the study of soil phytosociological and

allelopathic interactions among the plant species.



Fig1: Status of the families among the host plant of Cuscuta.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

ACANTHACEAE

AMARANTHACEAE

ANACARDIACEAE

ANNONACEAE

APOCYNACEAE

ARACEAE

ASTERACEAE

CANNABACEAE

CONVOLVULACEAE

CUCURBITACEAE

DIOSCOREACEAE

ELAEOCARPACEAE

EUPHORBIACEAE

FABACEAE

LAMIACEAE

MALVACEAE

MELASTOMATACEAE

MORACEAE

MUSACEAE

PAPAVERACEAE

PHYLLANTHACEAE

POLYGONACEAE

POACEAE

RHAMNACEAE

RUBIACEAE

RUTACEAE

VERBENACEAE

SOLANACEAE

URTICACEAE

ZINGIBERACEAE

12

34

56

78

91

01

11

21

31

41

51

61

71

81

92

02

12

22

32

42

52

62

72

82

93

0

TOTAL

Accidentally occurance

Rarely occurance

Mediumly occurance

Much frequent

Highly frequent



Fig 2: Status of Monocot and Dicot among

the host plant of Cuscuta.

Fig 3: Status of Herbs, Shrubs, Trees and Vines among

the host plant of Cuscuta.

Fig 4: Frequency status of Herbs, Shrubs, Trees and Vines among the host plants of Cuscuta

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PLATE-I



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21 19 20

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PLATE-II



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How to cite this article

Anup Kumar Sarkar, Manas Dey and Mallika Mazumder, 2017. Host Diversity of The Parasitic Genus

Cuscuta in Northern Part of West Bengal, India. Bioscience Discovery, 8(4):738-746.

35

32

34

33

36

31

31.Achyranthes aspera L. 32. Amaranthus spinosus L.33. Amaranthus viridis L.34.Argemone mexicana L.

35.Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand. 36. Association of Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand.+ Senna tora (L.)

Roxb.+ Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H.Rob. with Cuscuta reflexa Roxb.

PLATE-III

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Research Host Diversity of The Parasitic Genus Cuscuta in … 8 No 4/Anup738-746.pdf · 2019-02-17 · Anup Kumar Sarkar et al., The stem is thread like filaments it is begin to grow