Volume : 3, Issue : 6, June - 2014

Evaluation of selected microbes for control of Striga, a parasitic weed in sorghum

Prashant. S. Subbapurmath, C. R. Patil, K. S. Jagadeesh

Abstract :

Ten promising microbial isolates with very high degree of inhibition of Striga germination were evaluated for their ability to reduce Striga parasitism on sorghum under pot cultures. The results have indicated that four isolates completely suppressed Striga germination (100%), while the extent of suppression ranged between 98 to 99 per cent with the rest of the isolates. This was further, reflected in the increased plant height, plant dry weight and N and P concentration in sorghum. And, PSS–34 bacterium was the most efficient isolate which inhibited Striga seed germination and emergence completely, besides increasing growth and biomass of sorghum.