OCCURRENCE OF MISTLETOE (LORANTHUS SPP.) INFESTATION ON GARDEN CROTON (CODIAEUM VARIEGATUM) AND OTHER HOST TREES

 Mistletoes (Loranthus spp.) are one of the major groups of plant parasites, which are found in a wide range of vegetative zones in India. They cause great economic loss to our fruit and timber trees, when compared to any other member of the parasitic family of flowering plants. Some of the well known effects of plant parasites on the host trees are reduction of overall growth rate and vigour, low fruit and seed production; slow drying of branches; predisposition to other pests and diseases, and ultimately causing premature death. Studies on the incidences of mistletoe infestation, their distribution in urban environment and the possible impacts that Loranthus spp. could cause on a wide range of native and exotic species have been reported by several botanical researchers. The most common tree hosts reported by them include the like neem (Azadirachta indica), mango (Mangifera indica), guava (Psidium guajava), sugar apple (Annona squamosa), mahogany (Swietenia sp.), etc. In this article, the author reports the finding of a new host species i.e, garden croton (Codiaeum variegatum) of the family Euphorbiaceae, for the hemi-parasite Loranthus spp., and also presents a report on a survey conducted in and around the campus of WIP, a large wood-based industrial complex in Valapattanam, Kannur during December, 2019January, 2020 to determine the intensity and level of mistletoe infestation in tree species. The intensity and the total number of trees infected by the parasitic weed were determined. Mangifera indica hosted the highest number of mistletoe. Results revealed remarkable variation in the level of mistletoe infestation between tree species.