Decoding the ‘witch weed’ at Kenyatta University
Resource ID
17921
Access
Open
Contributed by
B.Muralidhar
Topics
Crop improvement, Biotechnology: Genomics, Pests and diseases
Crops
Dryland cereals, Pearl millets, Sorghum, Finger millet
Systems
Farming Systems
Locations
Eastern and Southern Africa, Kenya
Global Date
13 Dec 19
Title
Decoding the ‘witch weed’ at Kenyatta University
Keywords
Agribuzz, Witch Weed, CRP-GLDC, Plant Transformation, Plospathogens, Cereal Killer, Portable Rhizotrons, Kenyatta University
Language
English
Story Location
Nairobi, Kenya
New
West & Central Africa program, Eastern & Southern Africa Program, Theme: Integrated crop management, Theme: Integrated crop management
Size of PDF
269 kB
Story Partners
Kenyatta University
Author/Key contact
Dr Damaris A Odeny
Story Source
https://www.icrisat.org/decoding-the-witch-weed-at-kenyatta-university/
Story Published Date
2019-12-13
Story Lead Center
ICRISAT
Type
Science
URL/Link
https://www.icrisat.org/decoding-the-witch-weed-at-kenyatta-university/
Description
Team members and partners of the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals (CRP-GLDC) gathered fascinating facts about Striga hermonthica, one of the major parasitic weeds, also called ‘witch weed’, during a recent visit to the Plant Transformation Laboratory at Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya. The team visited the highly successful research center, housed in the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology of the University, and interacted with Professor Steven Runo and his team. Prof Runo himself referred to Striga hermonthica, a deadly parasite to GLDC cereals (sorghum, finger millet and pearl millet) as a ‘cereal killer’ in a recently published review in PloS Pathogens.
CGIAR Research Program
GLDC
