Reaction of host crop genotypes to Striga hermonthica at Bida, Mokwa and Shonga in the Nigerian Guinea Savanna

Field trials were conducted on the farms of Niger State College of Agriculture, Mokwa (09⁰18¹N; 05⁰04¹E), National Cereals Research Institute Bida (09⁰45¹N; 06⁰ 07¹E) and Emir of Shonga (08⁰29¹N; 04⁰ 35¹E) in 2004, 2005 and 2006 wet seasons trials to the effect of Striga hermonthica On the performance of three genotypes each of three host crops, The genotypes were 9022–13, Acr. 97 TZL Comp. 1-W and 8338-1 for make, FARO 40, WAB 56- 50 and FARO 45 for rice and SAMSORG 3 ICSV 111 and SAMSORG 1 for sorghum with and without Striga infestation, constituted the treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design replicated four times. The results indicated that the genotypes of maize (9022–13 and Acr. 97 TZL Comp. 1-W), rice (FARO 40 and WAB 56–50) and sorghum (SAMSORG 3) exhibited various levels of resistance/tolerance to Striga parasitism through support for lower infestation and incidence of the weed, exhibition of lower reaction syndrome and higher crop growth vigour as well as production of higher grain yield than the other respective varieties. Parasitism of host crops followed the order Mokwa>Bida>Shonga at different locations in the trial.