Effect of Striga Trap Crops and Nitrogen Fertilizer Application on Yield and Yield Related Traits of Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] at Fedis District, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Striga causes a serious threat to successful cultivation of sorghum in areas of low and erratic rainfall and poor soil fertility. Therefore, to reduce yield losses and severity of Striga, a field experiment was conducted during the cropping season of 2015 on heavily Striga-infested field in Fedis District, Boko site to determine the effect of trap crops (cowpea, soybean, desmodium, control) and N fertilizer rates (0, 46, 92 and 138 kg N ha −1 ) on management of Striga, yield related traits and yield of sorghum. The experiment was laid out in a factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Moreover, LAI, plant height, head weight plot −1 and aboveground dry biomass yield of sorghum were significantly (P < 0.05) increased by 4%, 9%, 28% and 33%, respectively, by use of cowpea as a trap crop over the control. Likewise use of cowpea as a trap crop significantly (P < 0.01) increased kernel weight head −1 by 6% and grain yield by 23% over the control. Similarly, the main effect of nitrogen showed that increased nitrogen rate up to 46 kg ha

Effective Striga control and yield intensification on maize farms in western Kenya with N fertilizer and herbicide-resistant variety

“…If farmers can afford both inputs for all their maize fields, they will enhance maize production and build off Striga infestation faster. Optimizing the choice of crop variety and nutrient management is a common notion among integrated approaches for preventing Striga parasitism and increasing yields (e.g., Midega et al, 2014 ; Tadesse et al, 2018 ; Abdullahi et al, 2022 ). Knowledge about the effectiveness of individual and combined practices under varying conditions, as drawn from this study, is crucial to guide such decision processes.…”

Integrated Weed Management in Minor Millets: A Review

“…It was also observed that application of N in four splits significantly lowered the density and dry weight of weeds. Tadesse et al [84] reported that application of N up to 46 kg ha -1 significantly reduced the density of striga, 49.8 per cent over control. Chavan et al [57] observed that four splits of nitrogen application i.e.…”

Weed Management in Millets- A Holistic Approach

“…Crops such as cotton, soybean, sunflower, cowpea, jute, pigeon pea, chickpea, kenaf, groundnut and castor will act as trap crop. Tadesse et al (2018) observed that among the trap crops, cowpea had more profound effect on suppressing the germination of striga. Cotton crop as trap crop led to a suicidal germination of 13-50 per cent striga seed (Barberi, 2019).…”

“…It was also observed that application of N in four splits significantly lowered the density and dry weight of weeds. Tadesse et al (2018) reported that application of N up to 46 kg ha -1 significantly reduced the density of striga, 49.8 per cent over control.…”