Can wild relatives of sorghum provide new sources of resistance or tolerance against Striga species? |
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Authors: | A L Gurney,M C Press,& J D Scholes |
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Affiliation: | Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK |
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Abstract: | Summary The genus Striga contains some of the most noxious parasitic plants, which have a devastating impact on cereal production in Africa; of most importance are Striga hermonthica and Striga asiatica . Complete resistance to infection by Striga species does not exist in cultivated cereals. Of great interest is the possibility that wild relatives of cereals may provide a genetic basis for resistance or tolerance to infection and may be of enormous value for the development of resistant crops. A wild relative of cultivated sorghum, Sorghum arundinaceum , demonstrated tolerance to infection by S. asiatica , with little impact of S. asiatica on host growth or grain production compared with the detrimental impact of the parasite on cultivated sorghum. Infection by S.hermonthica , however, had a significant influence on host performance for both wild and cultivated sorghum. Differences in host:parasite responses may be explained by the timing of parasite attachment and differences in host specificity for these two Striga species. |
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Keywords: | parasitic plants Sorghum arundinaceum Striga hermonthica Striga asiatica |
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