Cucusta sp. also know as Tali Putri in Malaysia or Dodder through out the world. After a long search for this species, I have found it in one of the oil palm plantation. Cucusta can be a biological control agents towards weeds. Cucusta is plant parasite. It has been known in controlling weed such as Mikania.
The flowers are numerous, white, pink or yellowish, small (2 to 4 mm long depending on species), and can be borne in tight balls or in a loose cluster (again depending on species). Flowers normally appear from early June to the end of the growing season. The fruit is about 1/8 th inch in diameter, with thin papery walls and contain 1 to 4 seeds. The seeds are yellow to brown or black, nearly round and have a fine rough surface with one round and two flat sides.
However, there were reports saying that dodder has been shown to spread the yellows disease pear decline, aster yellows, tomato big bud, vinca virescence and elm phloem necrosis. In addition, phloem-inhabiting `rickettsialike' bacteria have been found to be present in dodder (Mount and Lacy).
Therefore, by allowing dodder to spread in a field or garden area is asking for an increase in the plant diseases this parasite is capable of spreading. Nevertheless, it is worth to take a shot and let the taliputri grow so we can make a study.
To date and my best knowledge, there is a no study yet conducted for this Cucusta. Wheater this plant could cause plant disease in oil palm plantation has yet to be known. The environment and the crop is different from America. So we shall see how from now on....
Control : You can use 2,4-D type herbicide or contact herbicide .
My boss with plantation manager
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