Germplasm Bred for Resistance to Striga hermonthica Exhibited High Resistance Levels to Striga asiatica Compared to Commercial Checks

Parasitic weeds belonging to the Orobanchaceae family are a menace in Sub-Saharan African (SSA). Specifically, two witchweeds from genus Striga, S. hermonthica and asiatica, jointly responsible for land abandonments cereal yield reductions SSA. Factorial experiments involving fourteen maize genotypes levels of Striga asiatica infestation (infested noninfested) were conducted under pot laboratory at Department Plant Production Sciences Technologies, University Zimbabwe, during 2014/2015 season. A 14 × 2 factorial experiment was arranged 7 4 α-lattice design replicated four times, whereas agar gel complete randomized with replications. Results revealed significant differences ( p < 0.05) genotype main effects recorded traits. asiatica-infested had lower biomasses than noninfested ones. However, Zimbabwe bred hybrids such as Ax31, Ax28, Ax7, Ax32 similar plant heights stem, leaf, cob biomass across unlike local checks, particularly SC513, SC537, SC637, infestation. Moreover, these also least germination percentage furthest distance indicating that they resistant/tolerant asiatica. The hybrids, using resistance International Institute Tropical Agriculture, exhibited resistance/tolerance compared checks. Therefore, varieties could offer better viable spp. control option farmers both endemic areas.