This study was set to examine the effects of 2, 4-D on the early developmental stages of the root parasitic weed Striga hermonthica.
S. hermonthica seeds, sprinkled on 8 mm glass fibre discs, in Petri dishes, were treated with 2, 4-D, incubated, treated with GR24, examined for germination radicle extension and response to the haustorium inducer Dimethoxy-p-Benzoquinone (DMBQ).
Striga seeds conditioned in Distilled Water (DW), and subsequently treated with the synthetic germination stimulant GR24, displayed 53.7–87.4% germination. Seeds conditioned in 2, 4-D prior to treatment with GR24 exhibited 2–64.4% germination. Germilings from seeds conditioned in DW exhibited 8.8–45.4 mm radicle extension. Seeds conditioned in 2, 4-D displayed shorter radicles (0.4–6.2 mm). DMBQ applied to Striga germilings from seeds conditioned in DW effected 73.1% haustorial initiation. Germilings from seeds conditioned in 2, 4-D developed significantly less haustoria.
Germination, radicle extension and haustorium induction were negatively correlated with 2, 4-D concentration.
Abusin, R. M. A., Ousman, H. A., Hassan, M. M., Hamad, A. H. E., Musa, T. S. A., & Babiker, A.-J. E.(2015): Effects of 2, 4-D, GR24 and conditioning period on striga hermonthica, World Sustainable Development Outlook 2015, Vol 13, pp.321-328
