Striga densiflora (witchweed)
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Taxonomic Tree
- Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Description
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- Risk of Introduction
- Habitat
- Hosts/Species Affected
- Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
- Growth Stages
- Symptoms
- List of Symptoms/Signs
- Biology and Ecology
- Natural enemies
- Notes on Natural Enemies
- Plant Trade
- Impact
- Detection and Inspection
- Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
- Prevention and Control
- References
- Distribution Maps
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Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- Striga densiflora (Benth.) Benth. (1863)
Preferred Common Name
- witchweed
Other Scientific Names
- Buchnera densiflora Benth. (1835)
EPPO code
- STRDE (Striga densiflora)
Taxonomic Tree
Top of page- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Spermatophyta
- Subphylum: Angiospermae
- Class: Dicotyledonae
- Order: Scrophulariales
- Family: Orobanchaceae
- Genus: Striga
- Species: Striga densiflora
Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Top of pageDescription
Top of pageDistribution
Top of pageRecords for Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe in EPPO (2003) require further confirmation.
Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 12 May 2022Continent/Country/Region | Distribution | Last Reported | Origin | First Reported | Invasive | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Africa |
|||||||
Nigeria | Absent, Invalid presence record(s) | ||||||
South Africa | Absent, Invalid presence record(s) | ||||||
Zimbabwe | Absent, Invalid presence record(s) | ||||||
Asia |
|||||||
Bangladesh | Present | ||||||
China | Present | ||||||
-Yunnan | Present | ||||||
India | Present, Widespread | ||||||
-Gujarat | Present | ||||||
-Karnataka | Present | ||||||
-Madhya Pradesh | Present | ||||||
-Maharashtra | Present | ||||||
-Rajasthan | Present | ||||||
-Tamil Nadu | Present | ||||||
-Uttar Pradesh | Present | ||||||
Indonesia | Present | ||||||
Oman | Present | ||||||
Pakistan | Present, Widespread |
Risk of Introduction
Top of pageHabitat
Top of pageHosts/Species Affected
Top of pageReferences from before 1957, cited here and in other sections, are usefully available in the compilation by McGrath et al. (1957).
Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
Top of pagePlant name | Family | Context | References |
---|---|---|---|
Digitaria sanguinalis (large crabgrass) | Poaceae | Wild host | |
Eleusine coracana (finger millet) | Poaceae | Main | |
Oryza sativa (rice) | Poaceae | Other | |
Panicum (millets) | Poaceae | Main | |
Paspalum scrobiculatum (ricegrass paspalum) | Poaceae | Wild host | |
Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet) | Poaceae | Other | |
Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane) | Poaceae | Main | |
Setaria italica (foxtail millet) | Poaceae | Other | |
Sorghum bicolor (sorghum) | Poaceae | Main | |
Zea mays (maize) | Poaceae | Main |
Symptoms
Top of pageList of Symptoms/Signs
Top of pageSign | Life Stages | Type |
---|---|---|
Leaves / yellowed or dead | ||
Whole plant / early senescence |
Biology and Ecology
Top of pageLike S. asiatica and S. hermonthica, S. densiflora is a plant of semi-arid conditions, associated with low soil fertility and relatively dry conditions, rarely flourishing in wet soils or irrigated crops in the way S. aspera and S. angustifolia may do.
Natural enemies
Top of pageNatural enemy | Type | Life stages | Specificity | References | Biological control in | Biological control on |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cercospora | Pathogen | Plants|Leaves | ||||
Eulocastra argentisparsa | Herbivore | Fruits|pods | ||||
Eulocastra undulata | Herbivore | Fruits|pods; Plants|Leaves | ||||
Junonia orithya | Herbivore | Plants|Leaves | ||||
Podosphaera xanthii | Pathogen | Plants|Leaves; Plants|Stems | ||||
Smicronyx albovariegatus | Herbivore | Fruits|pods | ||||
Stenoptilodes taprobanes | Herbivore | Fruits|pods |
Notes on Natural Enemies
Top of pagePlant Trade
Top of pagePlant parts liable to carry the pest in trade/transport | Pest stages | Borne internally | Borne externally | Visibility of pest or symptoms |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bulbs/Tubers/Corms/Rhizomes | weeds/seeds | Yes | Pest or symptoms not visible to the naked eye but usually visible under light microscope | |
Fruits (inc. pods) | weeds/seeds | Yes | Pest or symptoms not visible to the naked eye but usually visible under light microscope | |
Growing medium accompanying plants | weeds/seeds | Yes | Yes | Pest or symptoms not visible to the naked eye but usually visible under light microscope |
True seeds (inc. grain) | weeds/seeds | Yes | Pest or symptoms not visible to the naked eye but usually visible under light microscope |
Plant parts not known to carry the pest in trade/transport |
---|
Bark |
Flowers/Inflorescences/Cones/Calyx |
Leaves |
Roots |
Seedlings/Micropropagated plants |
Stems (above ground)/Shoots/Trunks/Branches |
Wood |
Impact
Top of pageDetection and Inspection
Top of pageSimilarities to Other Species/Conditions
Top of pagePrevention and Control
Top of pageDue to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authority should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product's label.
S. densiflora is not known to differ from S. asiatica in its response to cultural control methods, and it can be presumed that rotation with non-host crops and improvement in soil fertility are likely to be helpful. Solomon (1952) notes less vigorous development under higher nutrient conditions. There is negligible evidence for the effectiveness of trap crops.Although Upadhyay et al. (1977) reported unsatisfactory results with 2,4-D both pre- and post-emergence, other reports suggest it can be helpful at either stage (Kumar et al., 1949; Uppal, 1952).
Varieties of sorghum resistant to S. asiatica have generally been found to be resistant to S. densiflora as well. Although the African variety Boganhilo, resistant to S. asiatica was reported susceptible to S. densiflora in Anon. (1943), a later report (Jenkins, 1945) confirmed its resistance to S. densiflora and other reports suggest a generally comparable reaction of sorghum species and varieties to the two Striga species (Anon., 1942; Deodikar, 1951; Parker and Riches, 1993). The one exception in Deodikar's work was Sorghum conspicuum [S. bicolor] which proved susceptible to S. asiatica but resistant to S. densiflora.
There is a lack of information on the resistance of 'SAR' (Striga-asiatica-resistant) lines of sorghum to S. densiflora.
References
Top of pageAnon., 1942. Millets and pulses. Imperial College of Agricultural Research (India) Annual Report 1940, 41:11-12.
Anon., 1943. Millets and pulses. Imperial College of Agricultural Research (India) Annual Report 1941, 42:11.
Chowdhury AM; Ahmad A, 1993. Histopathological studies of Striga spp. with sugarcane roots. Journal of Mycopathological Research, 31(1):1-4.
Cooke T, 1905. Striga. Bombay Flora, 2(2):302-304.
EPPO, 2014. PQR database. Paris, France: European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization. http://www.eppo.int/DATABASES/pqr/pqr.htm
Jenkins WJ, 1945. Research work. Crop Protection. Bombay Department of Agriculture Annual Report 1943, 44:14-17.
Kumar LSS, 1939. Crop protection from parasitic plants - phanerogamic parasities. India Bd. Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Crop and Soils Wing Proceedings, 2(1937):341-342.
Kumar LSS; Solomon S, 1941. A list of hosts of some phanerogamic root-parasites attacking economic crops in India. Indian Academy of Science Proceedings, Section B, 13:151-156.
Kumar LSS; Solomon S; Rao MVV, 1949. Preliminary studies in the use of synthetic hormones as weedkillers in the Bombay Province. Indian Academy of Sciences Proceedings Section B, 30:243-248.
Luthra JC, 1939. Parasitic plants occurring in the Punjab. India Board Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Crop and Soils Wing Proceedings, 2:343.
MBG, 2000. Missouri Botanical Garden: Flora of China Checklist. World Wide Web page at http://mobot.mobot.org/.
McGrath H; Shaw WC; Jansen LL; Lipscomb BR; Miller PR; Ennis WB, 1957. Witchweed (Striga asiatica) - a new parasitic plant in the United States. Plant Disease Epidemics and Identification Section, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture Special Publication, 10.
Solomon S, 1952. Studies in the physiology of phanerogamic parasitism with special reference to Striga lutea Lour. and S. densiflora Benth. on Andropogon sorghum Hack. I. The osmotic pressure of the host and parasite in relation to the nutrition of the host. Indian Academy of Science Proceedings Section B, 35:122-131.
Srinavasan AR, 1947. Some new hosts for Striga. Current Science (India), 16:320-321.
Uppal BN, 1952. Research work. Crop protection. Bombay Department of Agriculture Annual Report 1947, 48:28-31.
Distribution References
CABI, Undated. CABI Compendium: Status as determined by CABI editor. Wallingford, UK: CABI
Cooke T, 1905. Striga. Bombay Flora. 2 (2), 302-304.
MBG, 2000. Missouri Botanical Garden: Flora of China Checklist., http://mobot.mobot.org/
Srinavasan A R, 1947. Some new hosts for Striga. Current Science. 320-321.
Distribution Maps
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