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STRIGA HERMONTHICA SUICIDAL GERMINATION ACTIVITY OF TEN SOYABEAN, COWPEA AND GROUNDNUT VARIETIES IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

The obligate hemiparasite Striga hermonthica is one of the major global biotic threats to agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, causing severe yield losses of cereals. The germination of Striga seeds relies on host-released signaling molecules, mainly Strigolactones (SLs). Strigolactones (SLs) are plant hormones that regulate the branching of plants and seed germination stimulants of root parasitic plants. Striga hermonthica’s non-hosts stimulate parasite seed to germinate without getting infected because the non-hosts produce unique germination stimulants Strigolactones). This phenomenon called suicidal seed germination is greatly used in S. hermonthica control. For improved efficiency of the suicidal seed germination method in S. hermonthica control, detailed analysis of comparative ability of potential trap crops to stimulate germination is critical. This study was undertaken with the aim to screen 10 genotypes each of soybean, cowpea and groundnut as trap crops for Striga: the potential ability of their root exudates to stimulate germination of Striga seed was evaluated. The results indicate that soyabean varieties TGX 1019-2EB and TGX 1448-2E delayed Striga emergence in 2013 and 2014 respectively compared to other varieties. In the results of the Striga count, plant height and grain yield, Soyabean variety TGX 1448-2E generally performed better than other varieties. 2.5 g Striga level gave better results in all the parameters measured compared to 5 g Striga level. Cowpea varieties IT04K-339-1 and IT07K-25-3-3 delayed Striga emergence in 2013 and 2014 respectively, while in Striga count and plant height, cowpea variety IT04K-217-5 performed better than other varieties but higher grain yield was recorded in cowpea variety IT04K-339-1 compared to other varieties. Groundnut varieties TES, QH 243C, RMP-12 and RMP-91 delayed Striga emergence compared to other varieties in 2014. Groundnut variety RMP-91 performed better in Striga count, plant height and grain yield in both planting years 2013 and 2014 compared to other varieties.