Mulching offers protection from Striga asiatica L. Kutnze parasitism in Sorghum genotypes
The production of sorghum is hampered by the parasitic weed Striga asiatica L. Mulching is promoted as a component of the conservation agriculture systems in sub Saharan Africa. The objective of the study was to assess the effects of mulching and Striga infestation on sorghum chlorophyll content, St...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-02-01
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| Series: | Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2018.1520916 |
| _version_ | 1797684444173172736 |
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| author | Mandumbu Ronald Mutengwa Charles Mabasa Stanford Mwenje Eddie |
| author_facet | Mandumbu Ronald Mutengwa Charles Mabasa Stanford Mwenje Eddie |
| author_sort | Mandumbu Ronald |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The production of sorghum is hampered by the parasitic weed Striga asiatica L. Mulching is promoted as a component of the conservation agriculture systems in sub Saharan Africa. The objective of the study was to assess the effects of mulching and Striga infestation on sorghum chlorophyll content, Striga attachments, sorghum height, and yield. The 2 × 2 × 10 factorial experiment was replicated three times for two seasons. The pot experiment was laid out as a completely randomised design. The first factor was mulching at 0 and 3 tons/ha. The second factor was infestation at two levels: infested and uninfested while the third factor was sorghum varieties at 10 levels. Data collected was plant height, chlorophyll content, Striga counts and sorghum yield. Results indicated that mulching increased chlorophyll content in the second season and not first. Infestation reduced chlorophyll content in both seasons. For the second season, mulching increased chlorophyll content in all genotypes except Ruzangwaya, Mukadziusaende and SC Sila. The genotypes Mukadziusaende, Chiredhi and Hlubi were able to maintain height despite infestation by Striga. Generally yield was higher in uninfested pots across all varieties except Mukadziusaende for the first season. Sorghum arundinaceum was highly susceptible to Striga and hence cannot be a source of resistant traits for Sorghum bicolour breeding. Mulching in Striga infested plants increased plant height and chlorophyll content. Mulching tended to diminish the pathological effects of the Striga parasite in some varieties. Therefore, mulching negated the effect of Striga parasitism and resulted in yield maintenance in some genotypes and hence can be taken up by farmers in Striga infested areas as a beneficial cultural practice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:29:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-faee355f32b04eb48a0816ca600c1512 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0906-4710 1651-1913 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:29:43Z |
| publishDate | 2019-02-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-faee355f32b04eb48a0816ca600c15122023-09-15T10:26:24ZengTaylor & Francis GroupActa Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science0906-47101651-19132019-02-0169216717310.1080/09064710.2018.15209161520916Mulching offers protection from Striga asiatica L. Kutnze parasitism in Sorghum genotypesMandumbu Ronald0Mutengwa Charles1Mabasa Stanford2Mwenje Eddie3University of Fort HareUniversity of Fort HareUniversity of ZimbabweBindura University of Science EducationThe production of sorghum is hampered by the parasitic weed Striga asiatica L. Mulching is promoted as a component of the conservation agriculture systems in sub Saharan Africa. The objective of the study was to assess the effects of mulching and Striga infestation on sorghum chlorophyll content, Striga attachments, sorghum height, and yield. The 2 × 2 × 10 factorial experiment was replicated three times for two seasons. The pot experiment was laid out as a completely randomised design. The first factor was mulching at 0 and 3 tons/ha. The second factor was infestation at two levels: infested and uninfested while the third factor was sorghum varieties at 10 levels. Data collected was plant height, chlorophyll content, Striga counts and sorghum yield. Results indicated that mulching increased chlorophyll content in the second season and not first. Infestation reduced chlorophyll content in both seasons. For the second season, mulching increased chlorophyll content in all genotypes except Ruzangwaya, Mukadziusaende and SC Sila. The genotypes Mukadziusaende, Chiredhi and Hlubi were able to maintain height despite infestation by Striga. Generally yield was higher in uninfested pots across all varieties except Mukadziusaende for the first season. Sorghum arundinaceum was highly susceptible to Striga and hence cannot be a source of resistant traits for Sorghum bicolour breeding. Mulching in Striga infested plants increased plant height and chlorophyll content. Mulching tended to diminish the pathological effects of the Striga parasite in some varieties. Therefore, mulching negated the effect of Striga parasitism and resulted in yield maintenance in some genotypes and hence can be taken up by farmers in Striga infested areas as a beneficial cultural practice.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2018.1520916sorghumresistancechlorophyllinfestationmulching |
| spellingShingle | Mandumbu Ronald Mutengwa Charles Mabasa Stanford Mwenje Eddie Mulching offers protection from Striga asiatica L. Kutnze parasitism in Sorghum genotypes Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science sorghum resistance chlorophyll infestation mulching |
| title | Mulching offers protection from Striga asiatica L. Kutnze parasitism in Sorghum genotypes |
| title_full | Mulching offers protection from Striga asiatica L. Kutnze parasitism in Sorghum genotypes |
| title_fullStr | Mulching offers protection from Striga asiatica L. Kutnze parasitism in Sorghum genotypes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mulching offers protection from Striga asiatica L. Kutnze parasitism in Sorghum genotypes |
| title_short | Mulching offers protection from Striga asiatica L. Kutnze parasitism in Sorghum genotypes |
| title_sort | mulching offers protection from striga asiatica l kutnze parasitism in sorghum genotypes |
| topic | sorghum resistance chlorophyll infestation mulching |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2018.1520916 |
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