Morphological Diversity of 23 Ecotypes of Striga hermonthica Collected in the 5 Regions of Niger

Abstract

Striga hermonthica is a parasitic plant that significantly reduces millet crop yields worldwide. This species exhibits considerable genetic diversity, which contributes to its adaptability and resilience in vartious environments, particularly I, the sahel region. Understanding this genetic diversity is crucial for developing effective to combat its impact on agriculture, as it informs breeding programs for resistant crop varieties and the design of targeted herbicides. In this study, we aimed to characterize the morphological diversity of Striga collected from five regions in the Niger republic, where the commonly cultivated pearl millet variety serves as the host plant. We collectd 23 ecotypes of Striga and conducted pot trials at the ICRISAT Sahelian Centre in Niger between September and December 2022. The study of the morphological diversity of Striga ecotypes revealed significant morphological variability, including qualitative (shape and color) and quantitative traits in the vegetative parts of Striga, suggesting strong phenotypic differences among ecotypes. Statistical analyses confirmed these observations, revealing significant differences in the stydied traits across the regions. These results provided valuable insights into understanding the morphological diversity of Striga originating from Niger and identifying potential targets for the development of biological control methods and their interactions with host species. The study further identified four groups of distinct morphological diversity based on the means of the 7 quantitative traits.