A Review on: The Effect of Agro Forestry Trees on Minimizing Infestation of Striga hermonthica Through the Enhancement of Arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) with Sorghum in the Northern Part of Ethiopia

Abstract

Sorghum is one of the major food grain crops in Ethiopia, especially in the northern part of the country. The production and productivity of sorghum is affected by the root hemi parasite Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. (Orobanchaceae). In Ethiopia it is limited integrated control measure have been carried out to combat Striga. Reasons for the limited success in Striga control include prolific seed production, monocropping, close coupling of its life cycle to that of its host, and the fact that effective control methods are not within the reach of farmers practicing subsistence agriculture (Oswald A.2005). Sustainable management systems targeting Striga management on cereals in general or sorghum in particular might benefit from managing this symbiotic interaction. Agro forestry trees have the capacity to enhance AM and symbiotic relationship between sorghum can blocks for Striga hermonthica so as not to get any communication with its host.

Keywords: AM symbiotic, Striga hermonthica