Assessments and Distribution of Parasitic Plants Species on Tree Species in Kano Cosmopolitan Green Areas, Nigeria

Abstract

This study offers a comprehensive assessment of mistletoe diversity, composition, and distribution on trees within Bayero University, Kano (BUK) campuses and the Kano zoological Garden, Nigeria. Mistletoes, functioning as obligate hemi- parasites, wield significant influence on forest ecosystems, shaping host tree physiology and biodiversity dynamics. Despite their ecological importance, a detailed examination of mistletoe species in these specific green zones remains scarce. This research addresses this gap by adopting a multidisciplinary approach, integrating field surveys and taxonomic analysis to furnish a holistic understanding of mistletoe prevalence and ecological interactions within these distinctive urban environments. The study reveals the presence of four mistletoe species namely: Tapinanthus dodoneifolius, Tapinanthus oleifolius, Tapinanthus globiferus, and Agelanthus dodoneifolius, parasitizing on various trees across the campuses and Kano Zoological garden, with T. globiferus emerging as the predominant species. The study identifies fifty-four tree species from sixteen families in the study area, among which ten—Azadirachta indica, Adansonia digitata, Acacia nilotica, Delbajia sisso, Gmelina arborea, Khaya senegalensis, Mangifera indica, Parkia biglobosa, Terminalia catapa, and Zizupus spina-christi—were found to be infected with mistletoe. Consequently, 372 out of the estimated 2,095 tree species within the BUK campuses were observed to be infected with four identified mistletoe species, with Azadirachta indica exhibiting the highest infestation rate and T. globiferus prevailing as the most abundant mistletoe species.