A Land Management Based Approach to Integrated Striga hermonthica Control in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

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.

Integrated crop-livestock farming system for sustainable agricultural production in Nigeria

“…S. hermothica is parasite on cereal plants, and causes huge crop losses (Berner et al, 1996). Carsky and Berner (1995) reported that rotation with selected cowpea varieties has a substantial and rapid effect on reducing S. hermonthica, with the number of attached Striga plants per maize plant being reduced by at least 50% when maize was grown after cowpea.…”

Integrated control of <em>Striga hermonthica</em> (Del.) Benth. in Burkina Faso through host plant resistance, biocontrol and fertilizers

“…Indeed, this amount may have constituted micro dose of wellcomposted organic fertilizer for enhanced sorghum growth as well as a growth medium for microbial agents present in the soil. Berner et al (1996) investigated soil samples from Nigeria and demonstrated that natural soil suppressiveness to S. hermonthica is of microbial origin. So, the incorporation of uninoculated growth medium in the soil may boost the growth of edaphic pathogens that then attack Striga.…”

Abundance and distribution of Striga (Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth.) infestation in selected sorghum (Sorghum bicolour L. Moench) growing areas of Tigray Region, Ethiopia

“…On the other hand, there are a few sites which have got less infestation level of striga per m 2 . Striga are mostly introduced and disseminated by contaminated crop seeds, floods, farm tools, cattle and via wind (Berner et al, 1996;Hadas, 2010). These could be the reason for the occurrence and distribution of Striga at different level across locations.…”

“…If the condition does not favor germination of seeds remain dormant for several months (Cardoso et al, 2010). Striga seed can remain viable for up to 20 years (Berner et al, 1996).…”