Striga asiatica

Cultivation Details

In general, the genus Striga is found in the semi-arid to moist tropics, tolerating a relatively wide range of climatic and soil conditions. It grows in areas with a mean annual rainfall ranging from 250 - 1,500mm per year, with a decrease in the severity of infestation in areas with higher rainfall^[1]. Often found in the wild on light, sandy soils^[1]. Striga asiatica is a major pest problem in agriculture, especially in semi-arid marginal areas, parasitizing cereal crops and doing most damage to crops like sorghum, maize and millet^[2]. Globally, the genus Striga has a greater impact on human welfare than any other parasitic angiosperms because their hosts are often subsistence crops in areas marginal for agriculture^[1]. These furtive pathogens attack their hosts underground and, by the time the flowering stem of the parasite emerges and is evident, the crop is damaged^[1]. Control of the parasite is difficult to achieve because of the intimate association between the parasitic weed and its host. The seeds germinate in response to specific germination stimulants exuded by host roots. After germination, a haustorium is formed in the root of the host plant through differentiation of the root apex. A vascular connection is subsequently established between the two plants, allowing the parasite to absorb water and nutrients that are essential for its development^[2].