Possibilities for control of Striga hermonthica in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) using neem (Azadiractha indica) and parkia (Parkia biglobosa)-based products

Abstract

Striga hermonthica is a major threat to cereal production in Nigeria. Management approaches for control of Striga are generally based on cultural control strategies and host plant resistance. The use of plant products for the control of S. hermonthica is limited. Seed and leaf powders of neem and fruit and fruit peel powders of parkia trees were evaluated under screenhouse and field conditions in the Nigerian Savanna. Screenhouse evaluation of the plant materials showed that neem seed powder was the most effective, with only 16.5% of Striga emergence. This was followed by parkia fruit powder and parkia fruit peel powder, with 29.1% and 38.8% Striga emergence respectively. In the field, all plant materials significantly reduced Striga emergence. The lowest number of emerged Striga plants was observed on plots treated with neem seed powder (with 1.7 emerged Striga per 3m2 while the control plots had 30.3 emerged Striga plants per 3m2). Crop plants treated with neem seed powder did not show any reaction to Striga infestation, while parkia fruit powder and parkia fruit peel powder had reaction scores of 1.7 and 2.0 respectively when compared to neem leaf powder with 3.0 and the control with 4.7. Treatment by all the plant products however, significantly increased grain yield, which was highest in the treatment with neem seed powder. Our results highlight the possibilities of using these plant products for the control of S. hermonthica.