AbstractBACKGROUNDStrigolactones are a unique class of plant metabolites which serve as a rhizosphere signal for parasitic plants and evocate their seed germination. The expansion of these parasitic weeds in the food crop fields urgently calls for their increased control and depletion. Simple strigolactone analogues able to stimulate seed germination of these parasitic plants may represent an efficient control measure through the induction of suicidal germination.RESULTSTriazolide‐type strigolactone mimics were easily synthesized in three steps from commercially available materials. These derivatives induced effectively seed germination of Phelipanche ramosa with EC50 as low as 5.2 × 10−10 M. These mimics did not induce seed germination of Striga hermonthica even at high concentration (≥1 × 10−5 M).CONCLUSIONSSimple and stable strigolactone mimics with selective activity against Phelipanche ramosa were synthesized. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry