Discovery offers hope of saving sub-Saharan crops from devastating parasites
Friday, September 10, 2010 - 13:28
in Biology & Nature
Each year, thousands of acres of crops are planted throughout Africa, Asia and Australia only to be laid to waste by a parasitic plant called Striga, also known as witchweed. It is one of the largest challenges to food security in Africa, and a team of scientists has discovered chemicals and genes that may break Striga's stranglehold.