Striga: The spreading scourge in Africa
2007
Babiker, A.G.T.(Sudan Univ. of Science and Technology, Shambat)
The root parasitic weeds Striga spp., present severe biological constraints to agriculture in low-input farming systems in the African savanna. Species of economic importance are S. asiatica (L.) kuntze and S. hermonthica (Del.) Benth., on cereals, and S. gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke on cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp]. Recent surveys indicated that the parasite is spreading rapidly. At present the infested area is estimated to be 7.4 million hectares. The Striga problem, a part from the invasive nature of the parasite, is an outcome of demographic, socioeconomic, ethnic and environmental variables. Prodigious seed production and prolonged viability of seeds make Striga a difficult to control weed. The irrevocable damage Striga inflects on its host, prior to emergence, makes control of the parasite by post-emergence treatments less captivating to farmers. Available control practices, including cultural, chemical, biological and resistant varieties, are only partially effective. In Africa the solution should be simple, easy to implement, sustainable, durable and inexpensive. An integrated management strategy with tolerant and/or resistant crop cultivars in rotation with non host crops, as a pivotal component, is imperative.
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