Present survey was conducted on dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) which are occupies in different locations of Raigad and Thane districts of Konkan region of Maharashtra. Dodder (Cuscuta gronovii) is complete stem parasite. Pulses are cultivated in Konkan region during Rabi season after harvest of Kharif rice. Cuscuta causes a serious problem in pulses. The surveys were conducted for host range of Cuscuta gronovii in different locations of Raigad and Thane districts of Konkan region during 2015-2016. It was observed that 37 angiospermic host plants belonging to 14 families were parasitized by C. gronovii and grouped into weed hosts (30 spp.), cultivated pulses (4 spp.), other plants (2 spp.) and ornamental plant (1 spp.). The infection of C. gronovii was mostly on weed host and some cultivated pulses. C. gronovii was mostly parasitizing different families like Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Amaranthaceae and Verbenaceae. In present investigation this was a new and first report of Cuscuta gronovii parasitizing to weed host of family Eriocaulaceae and also first report of all weed hosts parasitized by C. gronovii in Konkan region. The present study also revealed that the shape and mode of development of haustoria was variable. Haustoria structure of pulses host was highly developed rod or tube like, dome shaped structure and well established within the host tissue by penetrating epidermis and cortical tissue towards the vascular bundle of pulse host. | Host range of Cuscuta gronovii in Raigad and Thane districts in Konkan region of Maharashtra, India
