Spatial distribution and density of Striga hermonthica (Del.) benth infestation associated with cereal production in southern guinea savanna farming systems

J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2014
However, there were some differences within the
sampled population in each village. Indeed, while in
some areas farmers grew a cereal monoculture; in the
other areas they generally rotated cereal with other
crops such as sesame, legume or tuber crops. The
most important crop mixtures found during the
survey were maize/sorghum, sorghum/groundnut,
yam/maize, upland rice/maize, sorghum
maize/cowpea, and groundnut/ millet.
Sorghum, maize, and millet are the most important
food crops attacked by S. hermonthica. Among the
constraints to agriculture, weed infestation by Striga
was highly ranked (data not shown).The level of
Striga infestation in the farmers’ fields ranged from
mild to severe.
The study revealed that most farmers became aware
of modern farming methods and Striga from their
extension agents, radio and television programme,
IO/NGOs, neighbours, and research institutions/
Universities (Table 6). Most of the farmers (35.4%)
indicated that they got technical advice on Striga
control from extension services. However, the
technical information was made available to farmers
during the Monthly Technology Review Meetings
(MTRM) and farm visit. Information on new farming
practices are disseminated by the international
organizations and non-government organizations
through their technical officers. Even though the
research institution/ universities were available, there
is no much input in terms of technology
dissemination, as they were poorly scored by the
farmers. This may be attributed to poor linkages
between the research institutions/universities and the
farmers because the attitude of farmers had not
changed to conform to the current practice, where
farmers are supposed to demand services, rather than
wait for the services to be provided on a top-down
basis.
Table 6. Source of information on farming and control tecnologies for Striga.
Agricultural
Tecnologies
IO/
NGO
Extension
Service
Radio/TV
programme
Cooperative Neigbour
Research
Institute
Others
Percentage (%)
Improved crop variety 20.3 40 20.2 4 15.5 - -
Control of Striga 10.2 35.4 22.1 - 12.1 18.2 2.0
Soil fertility management - 37.4 26.4 16.2 20 - -
Improved grain storage 17.2 41.7 26.1 10 - 2.0 3.0
Livestock management
technologies
6.0 31.7 28.0 4.3 18.8 1.0 10.2
The observed spatial distribution of Striga in the
surveyed fields may have several important
implications for the management of this parasitic
weed. Due to the presence of areas with a high risk of
infestation close to less infested areas that is
amenable to flooding and movement of animals for
pasture making the dispersal of seed easily, it would
be recommended to focus monitoring and
controlefforts in those zones with high infestation.
Although a satisfactory control could beobtained by
focusing on low income and sustainable strategies
such as the use of the cover crop,Mucunaspp., as an
intercrop to reduce Striga infections to appreciable
levels through suicidal germination (Akal et al., 2012)
Crop rotation and intercropping technologies also
requireseveral years of repeated and continued
application before realizing a significant rise in
annual grain yield.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Tertiary
Education Fund (TETFUND) of the Federal
Government of Nigeria and Nasarawa State
University, Keffi who facilitated this survey work as
part of my P.hDProgramme.
426 | Ibrahim et al.