Emergence of several seed companies in the West Africa sub-region during the last decade has necessitated intensified efforts towards hybrid development and extensive testing. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate selected Striga-resistant maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids for grain yield and stability of performance based on multiple traits. Thirty Striga-resistant single–cross maize ...

The perception of two plant germination inducers, karrikins and strigolactones, are mediated by the proteins KAI2 and D14. Recently, KAI2-type proteins from parasitic weeds, which are possibly related to seed germination induced by strigolactone, have been classified into three clades characterized by different responses to karrikin/strigolactone. Here we characterized a karrikin-binding protei...

Introduction Striga is a highly successful pathogen of cereal crops in sub-Saharan Africa. Also known as witchweed, Striga is an attractive parasitic plant whose beautiful flowers belie its noxiousness. Most cultivated cereals, including maize, millet, sorghum, and rice, are parasitized by at least one Striga species, leading to enormous economic losses. Control strategies are limited but inclu...