Response of the parasitic plant (Striga hermonthica ) seeds to different germination stimulants produced by sesame and pigeon pea varieties

摘要

The experiments were conducted in the Pathology Laboratory of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi (070 E14’N, 080 38’E) with the principal objective to evaluate sesame and Pigeon pea genotypes in their ability to stimulate germination of S. hermonthica seeds. The treatments consist of 17 and 13 varieties of Sesame and Pigeon pea, respectively. These varieties were screened in a completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications. There were significant differences among the varieties of Sesame and Pigeon pea in respect to relative germination percentage. In sesame, higher relative germination of 47.8% and 30.4% were recorded with variety 69B-882 and Yandev 55, respectively. The relative germination of 16-28% was recorded by varieties: - Ex-Pankshin – 98, 73A-79B, Cross-95, E-8, Ncriben -01M, 73A- 892B, 60-2-3-1-8B, and Ciano-16. The 17 sesame varieties were grouped in four (4) based on their efficacy to stimulate seed germination of S. hermonthica: High (69B-882 and Yandev 55), Moderate (Ex-Pankshin -98, 73B, Cross-95, E-8, Ncriben-01M, 73A-82B, 60-2-3-1-8B and Ciano-16); low (Yandev-75, Type-4, Ciano – 27, Eva and 69-1-1); Very low (Pachequeno, Ncriben-03L), respectively. But in the Pigeon pea accessions, the percentage germination of Striga seeds was highest with TCC 1035, Cita 4, TCC 6, TCC 8126, Cita 3, TCC 87 and Cita 2 (in descending order, 4.03 to 3.05%). These were followed by TCC2, TCC 8129, TCC 151 and Cita1 (2.99 to 2.06%) and the TCC8 and TCC 8129 (1.74 and 0.76%). The two test crops (sesame and Pigeon pea), the two controls, (GR – 24 and water) recorded the highest and lowest germination percentages, respectively. In the two varieties, the high and moderate stimulant producers can be used as good trap varieties. There is the need to screen more sesame and Pigeon pea genotypes to increase the potential for use of this control strategy.