查看文章

Witchweeds (Striga spp.), endemic parasitic weeds of sub-Saharan Africa are steadily increasing their geographic domain and level of infestation, and bewitching plants they invade, thereby greatly reducing crop yield. They have become a widely acknowledged scourge. The Striga problem undermines the struggle to attain food security and economic growth in the continent. Countries with nascent infestation of Striga only 25 years ago are now showing heavy annual losses of crop yield. Rough estimates are nearly 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are adversely affected by Striga, and up to 50 million hectares of crop lands in the continent show varying degrees of Striga infestation. Areas of otherwise productive agriculture have been abandoned because of this scourge. Crops previously unaffected by Striga are now showing serious infestation. Striga is, therefore, fast becoming a pandemic of serious …