It is a widespread parasite. In Greece, 11 types of couscous have been recorded, which mainly affect tobacco, alfalfa, sugar beets and less vegetable crops. It is a parasitic weed, which lives parasitically on various hosts and grows at the expense of cultivated plants, from which it receives water and nutrients.
It has slender, elongated, filamentous, yellow, orange or brown shoots, through which it wraps around various chlorophyll plants. It also has small, spherical, white flowers in inflorescences.
Couscous development
Couscous is difficult to destroy and its seeds can germinate throughout the year or remain in the infected field for a number of years and grow gradually, depending on the level of their dormancy. Infection in the field usually occurs in spots and can literally "choke" the crop.
The young plants climb in a circular motion until they meet the cultivated host plant. They form the suckers and cling to its shoots. Then the lower part of the couscous dries and remains on the cultivated plant living from it as a parasite. Young plants can live without a host for 10-20 days and reach a height of 8 cm. If they do not encounter a host plant they die. Their root is stalked and deep.
What damage does curd do?
The couscous, as a parasite, absorbs nutrients and water from the host plant, depletes it, inhibits its growth and in some cases even causes its necrosis. Couscous, in addition to reducing yields in plants, also causes problems for animals when eaten, because it contains poisonous substances. Finally, it has been found that this weed can be a host of some very serious viruses, such as mosaic of tobacco (TMV), jaundice (BYV) and beetle virus (BKV).
How to deal with it
If it appears on a plant the couscous should be treated immediately as it can spread very easily to other plants. The whole plant should either be cleaned by hand, removing all the parasite, or the infected one should be removed so that it does not spread to other plants.
