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MANAGEMENT OF WITCHWEED (Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth) IN PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum glaucum L.) R.Br. WITH ORGANIC SOIL AMENDMENTS SOURCED FROM NEEM TREE (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.)
Abstract:
This research was conducted in order to investigate the potentials of managing Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth., the noxious parasitic weed of cereal crops, with soil amendments derived from fruits of neem tree (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.). Effects of amending Striga-infested plots with the neem treatments (at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 kg/m2) on emergence and biomass accumulation in S. hermonthica, on the germination, growth and grain yield of pearl millet grown on Striga-infested plots and on soil physico-chemical properties (short term effects) were investigated. Experiments were conducted using randomized block design with 4-5 replications, under field conditions at five locations in Katsina (13° 47;N & 7° 08′), Nigeria, during the 2001, 2002 and 2003 rainy seasons. Long term effects of neem residues on soil physico-chemical properties, and on the growth and grain yield of millet (Pennisetum glaucum), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) (two common hosts of Striga hermonthica), cowpea (Vigana unguiculata), and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) (two common mixed-cropping components in cereal-legume mixtures) were also compared with neem-free controls using student t-test at two locations in Katsina, during the 2004 rainy season, under field conditions. The neem treatments were found to completely inhibit Striga emergence at 8.0kg/m2. However at 2.0- 4.0kg/m2, the neem treatments supported more Striga emergence than the control treatment, and at these concentrations neem appeared to have conferred tolerance to the neem-treated plants, as far as Striga syndrome and grain yield were concerned. Neem treatment at 8.0kg/m2 was the most suppressive treatment against Strigs emergence and germination of millet seeds that were sown at the time of amending the soil. However, millet seeds sown two weeks after amending the soil germinated and grew well in all the neem-amended plots, including 8.00kg/m2. Yield and yield components of neem-treated millet plants at 6 -8kg/m2 were significantly improved when compared with the control treatments, or other neem treated plots. Continuous deposition of neem residues into the 20 year old neem shelterbelts was not found to significantly affect the germination of the tested cereal and leguminous crop seeds. However, growth vigor of neem treated millet and sorghum seedlings were initially depressed, before stabilization of the rains, after which the entire test crop seedlings significantly (P=0.001-0.01) recorded accelerated growth and rapid biomass accumulation, at all locations. While neem treatment was significantly better than control in enhancing panicle biomass accumulation and grain yield in neem treated sorghum and millet (P= 0.001-0.5); the same treatment however, significantly suppressed pod-biomass accumulation and shelling percentage of neem-treated cowpea, while neem-treated groundnut was not significantly affected. Neem was also found to be significantly better than control in improving soil physico-chemical properties within a period of 2 0 years. Proportion of clay and silt, total nitrogen and organic matter in the neem treated soils were increased, while soil acidity was significantly reduced. Neem residues added to the soil through biomass transfer were not found to significantly affect soil physico-chemical properties within three month after application.
MANAGEMENT OF WITCHWEED (Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth) IN PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum glaucum L.) R.Br. WITH ORGANIC SOIL AMENDMENTS SOURCED FROM NEEM TREE (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.)
