Mechanism of parasitization by Cuscuta reflexa: RNase activity in the haustorial region of Cuscuta and infected host tissues

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Abstract
In a study of host‐parasite interrelationship and the mechanism of parasitization, ribonuclease activity was determined in Cuscuta reflexa Roxb, and in infected and control host plants of Lantana camara L. In the haustoria‐bearing region of Cuscuta, the concave half of the vine bearing the haustorial site, always showed significantly higher RNase activity than the convex half, irrespective of the differing enzyme activity of the parasite tissue growing on different hosts —Brassica campestris L., Helianthus animus L., Lantana camara L., Medicago saliva L. and Solatium nigrum L. The uninfected host branch of L. camara showed the maximum specific RNase activity in the apical region which decreased toward the base, while the infected host branch showed minimum specific RNase activity in the apical region, gradually increasing towards the infected region.