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Striga hermonthica, an obligate root parasite of grasses, Is one of the most severe constraints to cereal production in sub-Saharan Africa. In the recent past, prior to increased production pressure on land, S. hermonthica was controlled in African farming systems by prolonged crop rotations with bush fallow. Because of increasing need for food and concomitant changes in land management practices, however, these fallow rotations are no longer extensively used. Shorter crop rotations and fallow periods have also led to declines in soil fertility which present a very serious threat to African food production. A sustainable solution will be an integrated approach that simultaneously addresses both of these major problems. An integrated programme that replaces traditional bush fallow rotation with non-host nitrogen-fixing legume rotations, using cultivars selected for efficacy in germinating S. hermonthica seeds, is outlined. The programme includes use of S. hermonthlca-free planting material, biological control, cultural control to enhance biological suppressiveness, host-plant resistance, and host-seed treatments.

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Intercropping with a spreading type of cowpea was studied as a technique for the control of Striga hermonthica on sorghum in northern Cameroon. Alternate rows of cowpea did not reduce Striga density but planting the cowpea and sorghum in the same row, in the same or alternating hills, reduced Striga density and numbers of Striga per sorghum stand. Yields of sorghum grain in the same-row planting treatments were not significantly less than sole sorghum yields, and 200 to 700 kg ha~' of cowpea grain was produced. Alternating stands of sorghum and cowpea within the same row gave the best yield of sorghum and greater reduction of Striga. Production of mature Striga with capsules decreased with increasing cowpea ground cover, so that while cowpea may not reduce Striga emergence, it may hinder Striga development, possibly reducing the Striga seed bank over time.Inhibition de Striga utilizando caupi RESUMEN En el norte de Camenin se estudio la siembra simultanea con un tipo de caupf que se disemina, como tecnica para el control de Striga hermonthica en el sorgo. Hileras alternadas de caupf no redujeron la densidad de Striga, pero la siembra de caupf y sorgo en la misma hilera, en la misma aporcadura o en aporcaduras alternadas, redujo la densidad de Striga y la cantidad de Striga por planta de sorgo. Los rendimientos de grano de sorgo en los tratamientos de siembra en la misma hilera no fueron significativamente inferiores a los obtenidos con sorgo solo, y se produjo entre 200 y 700 kg ha~' de grano de caupf. La siembra de plantas alternadas de sorgo y caupf en la misma hilera produjo mejor rendimiento de sorgo y mayor rotation de Striga. La production de Striga madura con capsulas disminuyo con la mayor diseminacion del caupf sobre el suelo. Por lo tanto, si bien el caupf puede no reducir la emergencia de Striga, sf puede impedir su desarrollo, posiblemente reduciendo el branco de semillas de Striga con el transcurso del tiempo.