Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Resistance of Sorghum to Witchweed

Abstract

STRAINS of Sorghum vulgare resistant to root parasite witchweed (Striga lutea) have been bred in South Africa over a number of years.1 One of these (var. ‘Framida’) is characterized by its inability to germinate the parasite seed, which requires a stimulatory substance normally excreted from the host plant roots. A comparison of the resistant variety ‘Framida’, and a susceptible variety ‘Light Mori’ (from Nigeria) illustrates this point very clearly. Seedlings of the two varieties were grown in coarse washed sand in 3-in. plastic pots (50 seedlings per pot) for a period of nine days at ambient temperature (23–31°C.). After this the root solutions were eluted with 20 ml. of distilled water. The eluted solutions were tested for their ability to germinate the parasite seed in Petri-dish culture at full strength (as eluted) and at dilutions of 1:10 and 1:100. Typical results are shown in Fig. 1. It can be seen that the concentration of germination stimulent from the susceptible variety (‘Light Mori’) is supra-optimal and that a dilution of 1:10 does not reduce germination of the parasite seeds significantly. In the resistant variety, however, a similar dilution reduces germination almost completely; while even at the highest concentration germination is significantly lower. Since it is unlikely that a concentration of root growth stimulant approaching that of the experimental conditions will be encountered in Nature, this seems to be at least one mechanism by which resistance is achieved.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Saunders, A. R., South Afr. Dept. Agric. and For. Sci. Bull., 14, (1942).

  2. Saunders, A. R., Sci. Bull. Dept. Agric. South Afr. (1933).

  3. Elliot, B. B., and Leopold, A. C., Physiol. Plantarum, 6, 65 (1953).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

WILLIAMS, C. Resistance of Sorghum to Witchweed. Nature 184, 1511–1512 (1959). https://doi.org/10.1038/1841511a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1841511a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing