Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T18:28:59.504Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Response of maize varieties to transplanting in Striga-infested fields

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Andreas Oswald  and
Joel K. Ransom
Joel K. Ransom
Affiliation:
CIMMYT, P.O. Box 5186, Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Nepal
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Striga hermonthica reduces cereal yields in large areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Recent research has shown that transplanting maize seedlings that are more than 15 d old reduced Striga emergence and improved crop yields. Field experiments were conducted in 1998 and 1999 to determine whether maize varieties with different maturity periods and susceptibility to Striga parasitism respond similarly to transplanting. There was a considerable difference in Striga emergence between varieties in direct-seeded maize, but transplanting clearly reduced Striga emergence for all varieties. Transplanting of maize in plastic tubes gave the best Striga control until 8 wk after transplanting, whereas transplants from nurseries provided better season-long control. Transplanting improved grain yields 50 to 100% compared with direct seeding for three of the four varieties tested. Only the early-maturing variety ‘Morogoro’ had lower yields with transplanting than with direct seeding, indicating that transplanting caused more stress on the plants than was alleviated by the lower Striga infestation. The two varieties (‘Pioneer 3251’ and ‘H622’) most susceptible to Striga parasitism profited the most from transplanting, and the concomitant reduction in Striga induced stresses. Increases in productivity because of transplanting were associated with increases in biomass or harvest index. Transplanting of different maize varieties under rain-fed conditions has proven to be a biologically efficient method to improve maize yield and reduce Striga infestation within one season.

Keywords

Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benthmaize (corn), Zea mays L.Parasitic weeds
Type
Research Article
Information
Weed Science , Volume 50 , Issue 3 , June 2002 , pp. 392 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Abayo, G. O., English, T., Eplee, R. E., Kanampiu, F. K., Ransom, J. K., and Gressel, J. 1998. Control of parasitic witchweeds (Striga spp.) on corn (Zea mays) with target site resistance to acetolactate synthase-inhibiting herbicides. Weed Sci. 46:459–466.Google Scholar
Abbasher, A. A. 1994. Microorganisms of Striga hermonthica in Northern Ghana with a potential as biocontrol agents. Biocontrol Sci. Technol. 5:157–161.Google Scholar
Ciotola, M., DiTommaso, A., and Watson, A. K. 2000. Chlamydospore production, inoculation methods and pathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum M12-4A, a biocontrol for Striga hermonthica . Biocontrol Sci. Technol. 10:129–145.Google Scholar
Kanampiu, F., Ransom, J., and Gressel, J. 2001. Imazapyr seed dressings for Striga control on acetolactate synthase target site resistant maize. Crop Prot. 20:885–895.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kim, S. K. 1994. Genetics of maize tolerance of Striga hermonthica . Crop Sci. 34:900–907.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kling, J. G., Berner, D. K., and Ibikunle, O. A. 1997. Developing tropical maize cultivars with reduced parasite emergence and host plant damage symptoms under artificial field infestation with Striga hermonthica . Pages 92–103 In DeVries, J. D. and Ochieng, J.A.W., eds. Advances in Striga Research. Proceedings of a Workshop in Kisumu, Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya Agricultural Research Institute.Google Scholar
Linke, K. H., Ransom, J. K., Oswald, A., and Kachelries, S. 2000. Extracts from soils—methods to separate seeds from soil. Pages 45–50 In Kroschel, J., ed. A Technical Manual for Parasitic Weed Research and Extension. Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
Marley, P. S., Ahmed, S. M., Shebayan, J.A.Y., and Lagoke, S.T.O. 1999. Isolation of Fusarium oxysporum with potential for biocontrol of witch-weed (Striga hermonthica) in the Nigerian Savanna. Biocontrol Sci. Technol. 9:159–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mumera, L. M. and Below, F. E. 1996. Genotypic variation in resistance to Striga parasitism of maize. Maydica 41:255–262.Google Scholar
Oswald, A., Abayo, A., Ransom, J. K., Kroschel, J., and Sauerborn, J. 1997. Catch-cropping with Sudan grass—an option to control Striga in subsistence agriculture. Proc. Brighton Crop Prot. Conf.—Weeds 1:227–232.Google Scholar
Oswald, A., Frost, H., Ransom, J. K., Kroschel, J., Shepherd, K., and Sauerborn, J. 1996. Studies on the potential for improved fallow using trees and shrubs to reduce Striga infestations in Kenya. Pages 795–800 In Advances in Parasitic Plant Research. Cordoba, Spain: Proceedings of the Sixth Parasitic Weed Symposium.Google Scholar
Oswald, A. and Ransom, J. K. 2001. Striga control and improved farm productivity using crop rotation. Crop Prot. 20:113–120.Google Scholar
Oswald, A., Ransom, J. K., Kroschel, J., and Sauerborn, J. 2001. Transplanting maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) reduces Striga hermonthica damage. Weed Sci. 49:346–353.Google Scholar
Oswald, A., Ransom, J. K., Kroschel, J., and Sauerborn, J. 2002. Intercropping controls Striga in maize based farming systems. Crop Prot. In press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ransom, J. K. 2000. Long term approaches for the control of Striga in cereals: field management. Crop Prot. 19:759–763.Google Scholar
Ransom, J. K. and Odhiambo, G. D. 1995. Effect of corn (Zea mays) genotypes which vary in maturity length on Striga hermonthica parasitism. Weed Technol. 9:63–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ransom, J. K., Odhiambo, G. D., Abayo, A., and Oswald, A. 1997. An update on Striga control research in Africa. Proc. 16th Biennial Conf. Weed Sci. Soc. East. Africa 16:215–219.Google Scholar
Ritchie, S. W. and Hanway, J. J. 1984. How a Corn Plant Develops. Ames, IA: Cooperative Extension Service, Special Rep. No. 48. 25 p.Google Scholar
Sauerborn, J. 1991. Parasitic Flowering Plants—Ecology and Management. Weikersheim, Germany: Josef Margraf. pp. 20–25.Google Scholar
Sauerborn, J., Sprich, H., and Mercer-Quarshie, H. 2000. Crop rotation to improve agricultural production in sub Saharan Africa. J. Agron. Crop Sci. 184:67–72.CrossRefGoogle Scholar