Dissertation Research: Ecological Interactions Between Parasitic Plants and Their Hosts

寄生植物是自然和农业生态系统的重要组成部分，对它们所栖息的群落的结构和动态有重大影响。然而，人们对寄生植物与寄主之间相互作用的生态学知之甚少。葫芦属开花植物是一种专性寄生植物，光合作用能力很弱，通过附着在其他植物的地上茎来获取营养。葫芦属(Cuscuta Spp)是重要的农业害虫，被列入美国农业部的十大杂草名单，在不影响寄主植物的情况下很难控制。该项目将探索葫芦属寄生植物与其寄主之间相互作用的化学生态学。具体地说，它将研究与Cuscuta的寄主定位和识别有关的化学线索，寄主植物对Cuscuta攻击的反应，以及这些防御反应对寄主植物抵御食草动物后续攻击的能力的影响。这项研究的结果将提高对植物之间的化学介导的相互作用和植物对多种生物同时攻击的防御的理解。这些知识可能有助于开发新的策略来控制攻击农作物的寄生植物。

Parasitic plants are important components of both natural and agricultural ecosystems and have significant influence on the structure and dynamics of the communities they inhabit. Yet, little is known about the ecology of interactions between parasitic plants and their hosts. Flowering plants in the genus Cuscuta are obligate parasites with little photosynthetic capability and obtain nutrients by attaching to above-ground shoots of other plants. Cuscuta spp. are important agricultural pests, listed on the United States Department of Agriculture's Top Ten Weeds List, and can be difficult to control without also impacting host plants. This project will explore the chemical ecology of interactions between parasitic plants in the genus Cuscuta and their hosts. Specifically, it will examine the chemical cues involved in host location and recognition by Cuscuta, the defense responses initiated by host plants in response to Cuscuta attack, and the impact of these defensive responses on the host plant's ability to defend itself from subsequent attack by herbivores. Results obtained from this study will improve understanding of chemically mediated interactions among plants and plant defense against simultaneous attack by multiple organisms. This knowledge may be useful in developing new tactics for controlling parasitic plants that attack agricultural crops.