Abstract
The possibility of reducing Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. parasitism in severely infested fields, by means of deep planting - thereby reducing the root length in the upper layers of the soil where Striga seeds are predominantly found - was tested in field trials with maize and sorghum in western Kenya. Sorghum seeds were planted in Striga-infested fields approximately 2.5 cm deep in the soil or at the bottom of conically-shaped plant holes (15-20 cm deep). Depth of plant holes for maize varied from 0 to 30 cm, in un-tilled soil. Deep planting in un-tilled soil gave higher (up to double) grain yields, compared with standard planting in tilled soil. Parasite emergence was related negatively to planting depth of maize (p< 0.05). Deep planting in tilled soil gave 74% more sorghumgrain yield relative to standard planting. In this treatment Striga seed production was not reduced but in un-tilled fields with deeply planted sorghum Striga seed production was completely suppressed. Therefore, a combination of zero-tillage and deep planting seems to be the most effective treatment. The probable mechanism causing these results is avoidance of Striga seed by the host root system, resulting in a delay in the onset of Striga attachment and the formation of smaller numbers of attachments. Keywords: Avoidance Of Striga HermonthicaMaizePlanting DepthSorghumZero-TILLAGE
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Deep planting in untilled soil gave up to double grain yields compared with standard planting in tilled soil.
- Treatment
- Deep planting in un-tilled soile0
- Outcome
- grain yieldse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- up to doublee0
- Comparator
- standard planting in tilled soile0
Sorghum
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Deep planting in un-tilled soil gave higher (up to double) grain yields, compared with standard planting in tilled soil”
t0“sorghum and maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize Striga emergence declined with planting depth.
StrigaOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Parasite emergence was related negatively to planting depth of maize (p< 0.05)”
t0“Striga”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep planting in tilled soil increased sorghum grain yield by 74%.
- Treatment
- Deep planting in tilled soile0
- Outcome
- sorghumgrain yielde0
- Direction
- moree0
- Value
- 74%e0
- Comparator
- standard plantinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Deep planting in tilled soil gave 74% more sorghumgrain yield relative to standard planting”
t0“sorghum”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep planting in tilled soil did not reduce Striga seed production.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In this treatment Striga seed production was not reduced”
t0“sorghum”
t1“Deep planting in tilled soil”
Claim · model-written summary
Deep planting in untilled fields completely suppressed Striga seed production in sorghum.
- Treatment
- un-tilled fields with deeply planted sorghume0
- Outcome
- Striga seed productione0
- Direction
- completely suppressede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“in un-tilled fields with deeply planted sorghum Striga seed production was completely suppressed”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude that zero tillage with deep planting is the most effective treatment.
- Outcome
- a combination of zero-tillage and deep plantinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“a combination of zero-tillage and deep planting seems to be the most effective treatment”
t0“sorghum and maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors propose host root avoidance of Striga seed as the mechanism of reduced attachment.
- Outcome
- delay in the onset of Striga attachment and the formation of smaller numbers of attachmentse0
- Qualifier
- avoidance of Striga seed by the host root systeme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“avoidance of Striga seed by the host root system, resulting in a delay in the onset of Striga attachment and the formation of smaller numbers of attachments”
t0“sorghum and maize”
The same questions in other papers
tillage · yield · SorghumResults differ
101 papers in the same direction as this paper · 17 in the opposite direction · 4 reporting no difference from an alternative
- negative
- negative
- negative
119 papers more in this group
See all 123 papers →tillage · Striga · SorghumResults agree
1 paper in the same direction as this paper
- negative
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.