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Developing Countermeasures Against Striga to Conquer Poverty and Improve Food Security

Bioresources

The Republic of the Sudan

Terminated

Developing Countermeasures Against Striga to Conquer Poverty and Improve Food Security

Getting back our food that is being robbed by root parasitic weeds!

Principal Investigator

- Prof.
  SUGIMOTO Yukihiro
  Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University
- Director General
  Zeinab Osman
  National Center for Research (NCR)

ODA Recipient Country

The Republic of the Sudan

Research Institutions in Japan

Kobe University / Osaka Metropolitan University

Research Institutions in Counterpart Country

National Center for Research（NCR）/ Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC) / etc.

Adoption fiscal year

FY 2016

Research Period

5 Years

Overview of the Research Project

Analysis of root parasitic weeds from a chemical perspective to provide information that facilitates development of an integrated management strategy
Striga is a genus of root parasitic weeds that parasitizes grassy crops, depriving them of nutrients and water. They have serious effects on global food production, particularly in Africa where agricultural damage amounts to over one trillion yen a year. This project aims to elucidate striga’s germination mechanism to develop a management strategy for use in Sudan where people are suffering from the devastating damage caused by striga. We will also engage in the selection of resistant species and search for useful substances produced by striga to make use of them as biological resources. The findings of the project will be shared with local farmers to establish an effective integrated management strategy.

Increased food production through parasitic weeds control and creation of a new biological resource
A germination inducer will promote germination of striga seeds in fields without any host species present, while resistant crop species will reduce the proliferation of the parasite. The striga plants that survive will be used as raw material for extracting useful substances. This integrated strategy can be applied to manage other root parasitic weeds in the fight to overcome biotic constraints to global food production.