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Ua Kayongo Hybrid Maize
A New Approach to Controlling Parasitic Striga for Kenyan Maize Producers |
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Know Your Enemy!
Striga has a rather complicated lifecycle. The plant produces abundant, very small seeds that fall to the soil and are incorporated during tillage. The seeds may remain dormant in the soil for up to 20 years until they are stimulated to germinate by biochemical signals from host plant roots. The germinating seeds penetrate the host root, and remove water, minerals and photosynthates (sugars) for several weeks while living underground. Striga also produces toxic chemicals that stunt and discolor the host plant. Then, the Striga shoot emerges from the soil, producing fleshy green stems and narrow leaves, growing to a height of 50 to 100 cm. Next, it produces numerous, small purple flowers that later form capsules containing many seeds. After the host plant dies, so too does the Striga, causing the capsules to burst and the seeds to spread across the soil, and the cycle repeats itself.
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Format Home l Striga Home l Mobilizing Farmers l Striga Threats l Know your Enemy l First Defense Striga Management l Ua Kayongo l Establish Ua Kayongo l Questions on Striga Striga Swahili l Striga Luo l Striga Luhya l Contact Details © 2005.
African Agricultural
Technology Foundation's (
AATF
Striga Management Project ). |
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