|
|
Ua Kayongo Hybrid Maize
A New Approach to Controlling Parasitic Striga for Kenyan Maize Producers |
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Conventional Striga Management: Weed and Burn
Weeding Striga is difficult and seldom fully successful because its stem grows underground and is attached to the maize roots. Shortly after weeding the aboveground Striga, new shoots begin to emerge from the soil. Nonetheless, it is very important that Striga not be permitted to produce seed in your field, therefore, it is necessary to weed Striga once or twice later in the cropping season.
Even in the largest fields, Striga often appears in patches. If the Striga has formed flowers and matured, farmers should dig a hole about 70 cm deep in the center of the patch, gather the drying Striga plants and put them in the hole, burn the plants and bury them. Later, burn the crop residues that occur in the affected patch to destroy any seeds that have escaped.
A less practical option for smallholders is deep tillage (for example +50 cm), that places Striga seeds too deep in the soil to emerge and multiply. Remember, the simplest control practice is containment, meaning that care must be taken not to spread Striga into neighboring fields and farms. Immediately after weeding Striga, it is very important to clean your shoes and tools before the seeds can be spread to new fields, especially your own. |
||||||||||||||||||
|
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 ). |
|||||||||||||||||||
