Plants in natural ecosystems are exposed to a combination of UV radiation, ionizing radiation (IR) and other abiotic factors. These factors change with the altitude. We investigated DNA alterations some wild plants different plant families at three altitudes Rila Mountain, Bulgaria (1500, 1782, 2925 m above sea level (a.s.l.) IR stresses, assess tolerance species changing environmental conditio...

The parasitic weed Striga hermonthica Benth. (Orobanchaceae), commonly known as striga, is an increasingly important constraint to cereal production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), often resulting in total yield losses in maize (Zea mays L.) and substantial losses in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). This is further aggravated by soil degradation and drought conditions that are gradually beco...

Advances in high-throughput sequencing (HTS) have allowed researchers to obtain large amounts of biological sequence information at speeds and costs unimaginable only a decade ago. Phylogenetics, and the study of evolution in general, is quickly migrating towards using HTS to generate larger and more complex molecular datasets. In this paper, we present a method that utilizes microfluidic PCR a...

Strigolactones are a class of plant hormones that inhibit axillary bud outgrowth and are released from plant roots to act as a rhizosphere communication signal. The Orobanchaceae parasitic plant Striga hermonthica perceives strigolactone as its germination signal, indicating host presence. After germination, the Striga plant parasitises the host plant and suppresses host growth by draining phot...

Phylogenetic relationships among recently diverged species are often difficult to resolve due to insufficient phylogenetic signal in available markers and/or conflict among gene trees. Here we explore the use of reduced-representation genome sequencing, specifically in the form of restriction-site associated DNA (RAD), for phylogenetic inference and the detection of ancestral hybridization in n...

Societal Impact Statement Escobedia grandiflora is a medicinal hemiparasite that occurs naturally in non-forested communities Central and South America. Parasitic plants accumulate high levels of water-soluble orange pigment roots was once among the most important food dyes Andean region. We conclusively address chemical identification this provide molecular cellular insights on its biosynthesi...