The herbaceous parasite called sunflower broomrape is probably known to many. Our country is the leader in the cultivation of sunflower in the world, and this type of parasite, unfortunately, is one of the most common. Not only large-scale agrarian enterprises face it, but also private gardeners who decide to grow sunflower on their beds. This article will be useful both first and second. In it we will understand what the sunflower seed broomrape is, how to detect it, and what measures exist to combat this parasite.
- Sunflower seed: familiarity with the parasite
- Causative agent
- Development cycle
- Signs of plant damage
- Plants at risk
- Measures to combat the scourge
- Crop rotation
- Agrotechnical receptions
- Biological methods
- Chemical control methods
- Resistant hybrids
Sunflower seed: familiarity with the parasite
Sunflower contagion - a root parasite belonging to the broomrape family. The plant has a straight whitish stem, thickened at the base, without branches. Leaves on it in the form of scales. Blooms brown disproportionate flowers, collected in the inflorescence-spikelets.The fruit is a box containing up to 2000 small dark-brown seeds. Seeds are easily transferred by wind, water, human feet and tools.
Representing what a sunflower broomrape looks like, knowing its description, one can easily recognize this parasite in its field and take measures to combat it in time.Causative agent
Favorable conditions for the germination of this weed are the optimum temperature of the soil - 20-25 ° C, aridity of the soil, its certain acidity, and the main causative agent for it is the release of sunflower from the root system.
Development cycle
Having an idea of what is broomrape, it is not necessary to explain for a long time why it is worth fighting with. The plant attaches itself to the root of the sunflower, grows together with the stems, and lives entirely at its expense, sucking all the water-mineral and organic substances, actually killing it. 
Signs of plant damage
The main sign of sunflower damage by this plant will, of course, be the very presence of broomrape shoots and flowers at the base of the stalks of sunflower. This parasite significantly reduces the fertility of the host plant, which is another sign of infection. And if the broomrape has not yet sprouted up, but has already struck the sunflower root system, this will be seen from the withering and drying look of the latter.
Plants at risk
This attack is dangerous not only for sunflowers. At risk are also such plants as tobacco, tomatoes, safflower, hemp, and various weeds. All of them, too, are often victims of sunflower seed broomrape, but sunflower is still the best host plant for it.
Measures to combat the scourge
Many are interested in the question of how to deal with broomrape. There are several ways to combat this parasite, and now we will examine each of them in more detail.
Crop rotation
This method involves alternating seeding of different crops in one field. That is, in the affected area after sunflower plant crops, invulnerable to this scourge, for 8-10 years, before it will be possible to sow the sunflower again. During this time, the parasite seeds, which remained in the soil after the last sowing of sunflowers, lose their vitality, and the land becomes safe.
Agrotechnical receptions
To agrotechnical techniques include the following methods:
- deep plowing of the land (with skaters);
- weeding broomrape until we begin to ripen the seeds;
- preventing the parasite's seeds from entering uninfected areas;
- soil moistening, as this pest species loves dry land;
- deliberately stimulating the germination of as many seeds as possible from the ground by means of thickened sunflower sowing on contaminated areas. After that apply method 2 from our list. This frees the earth from more seeds.
Biological methods
There are also biological methods to combat broomrape, protecting plants from this parasite. Effective is the method of application of fly-fitomizy. Its larvae eat or at least damage weed seeds. This method reduces the number of parasite seeds in the ground.
A number of special biological preparations have also been developed to help combat this problem - bioherbicides. However, this method has not yet received widespread use and is inferior in popularity to its chemical counterparts - herbicides.
Chemical control methods
Chemical methods suggest, as has already been written above, the use of various herbicides that cause diseases and the death of broomrape sunflower. You can buy these drugs in specialized stores and use according to the instructions. A vivid example of an effective herbicide is the Device Ultra water-soluble concentrate. It was developed by the Clearfield system and contains imazapir 15 g / l and imazamox 33 g / l. These substances act on the weed through the leaves and the root, causing its death.The same system has developed another equally effective herbicide, Euro-Lighting. It contains the same substances of the imidazolinone class as the “Device Ultra”, and for many years it has been struggling with broomrape and other weeds with great success, ensuring a good harvest of sunflower. 
Resistant hybrids
However, the most successful method is sowing sunflower seeds that are resistant to broomrape.
Many immune varieties of sunflower and other crops that are invulnerable to this parasite have long been developed. This is a very popular and convenient method, the only disadvantage of which is the high cost of seed. For example, the sunflower hybrid "Pioneer" is very popular in Europe for its resistance to broomrape and good yield under any conditions of germination. Sunflower hybrids "Syngenta" also have a high level of yield and invulnerability to parasitic plants. Hybrid "Tunka" has earned the recognition of agricultural workers for resistance to broomrape AE, cold weather, drought and any cultivation technology. Hybrid "Jason" has a separate advantage - the genetic ability to reject weeds and parasites.The hybrid "Forward", besides its resistance to broomrape, also has immunity to such diseases as fomoz, sclerotinia, basket and stem rot, powdery mildew.
