One of the most susceptible hosts of the Phelipanche aegyptiaca (pers.) Pomel is tomato. Broomrape causes yield loss in tomato due to severe infestations in many regions of Iran. A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of some trap crop on reducing Ph. aegyptiaca damage in tomato. Trap crops consisting of Egyptian clover, sesame, mungbean, common flax, brown Indianhemp, cotton, pepper and black-eyed pea were studied during 2008 and 2009. Through the first year, trap crops were cultivated in pots and in the next year, tomato was transplanted into those pots. Sesame, brown Indianhemp, common flax and black-eyed pea decreased broomrape biomass by 86, 85.3, 75.2, and 74.4%, respectively. Reducing broomrape biomass caused increases in the tomato yield. Meanwhile, sesame, brown Indianhemp, Egyptian clover and mungbean increased total biomass of tomato by 71.4, 67.5, 65.5, and 62.5 %, respectively. It was found that these plants have a great potential to reduce broomrape damage and they can be used in rotation in broomrape infested fields.
