Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga After completing Units in this Lesson, you have learned to answer: 1. What is Striga? 2. How striga affects chili crop? 3. What cultural methods you practice to control Striga? 4. What chemical methods help in controlling Striga? 5. What good husbandry practices you will adopt to control Striga in chili crop?

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Striga is a very important weed in chili pepper cultivation. Unlike other weeds, which compete for water and nutrients Striga, as a root parasite, literally sucks the life out of chili pepper plants. In doing so, growth is stunted and yields are greatly reduced.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Striga has been given the common name of "witchweed" because of attaching to the roots and robbing the host of water and nutrients.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga There are different species of Striga. The Striga found in India is most often has white flowers. But, Striga plants with yellow, pink or purple flowers are also common. White flowered Striga

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Mauve flowered Striga Red flowered Striga Pink flowered Striga

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Small Striga seeds compared to sorghum and maize Depending upon the extent of infestation, 30-60% of reduction in grain yield can occur. Striga infestation is most severe in low moisture and low fertility soils. Thousands of very small seeds are produced by a single plant of Striga. These seeds can remain dormant but viable for many years.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Striga plants emerge from the soil adjacent to chili pepper plants and produce many upright green stems with pink to white flowers.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Flowering can begin within 2 weeks and seeds begin to mature 2-4 weeks later. The seed capsules may contain seeds and a single plant may produce 20,000 seeds. Mature seeds are dispersed by wind, rainwater, cultivation, soil on tools, or even grazing and manure fertilization.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Striga Life-Cycle

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Control measures Physical control: Hand pulling at too early stage may break the shoot and reduce the rapid growth. Sparse infestation should be hand pulled shortly before flowering to prevent build up of seed. Such hand pulling should continue through to harvest and beyond so long as flowering is occurring.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Control measures Cultural control: It has been noted that chili pepper plant shading can restrict Striga growth when generous soil fertilizer is applied. In areas of high rainfall, factors such as high plant populations, recommended fertility levels, and good weed control encourage lush crop growth and shading in spite of Striga parasitism. This is not feasible in moisture stressed rainfed areas.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Control measures Cultural control: Crop rotation should be practiced with trap crops which stimulate Striga seeds to germinate without themselves being parasitized. Crops claimed to be effective include: cotton, sunflower, groundnut, castor, dolichos bean, and linseed. Unfortunately once a severe infestation has developed, it may take many years to reduce Striga population in the field to non-damaging level.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Control measures Chemical control: As Striga is a broadleaf plant, pre-plant herbicides such as Atrazine, Goal, and Flex show some effect though not efficient enough to be justified. Post-emergence use of 2,4-D is effective when sprayed on the Striga leaves. Though low in cost, chili pepper is vulnerable to stalk twisting and lodging if 2,4-D is sprayed into the leaf whorl. Spraying should only be done trained labor and cautioned to the hazards.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Control measures In summary, control of Striga infestation is difficult and requires an integrated approach. Non-host crops must be rotated (for two years in heavily infested fields) with resistant chili pepper varieties.

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Abutilon indicum Indian mallow

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Alysicarpus sp. One-leaf clover

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Argemone mexicana Mexican poppy

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Celosia argentina White cock's comb

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Borreria articularis Button plant

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Cleome sp. Wild spider flower

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Digera arvensis Kundra

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Corchorus olitorius Jew's mallow

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Euphorbia purviflora Euphorbia hirta Spurge

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Portulaca oleracea Common purslane Portulaca pilosa

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Vernonia cinerea Little iron weed

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Leucas aspera Dronapushpi

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Xanthium strumarium Cocklebur

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Amaranthus spp. Pigweed

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Anagallis arvensis Scarlet Pimpernel

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Bidense pilosa Spanish needle

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Mollugo verticillata Carpet-weed

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Commelina spp. Benghal dayflower

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga False daisy Eclipta alba Eclipta prostrata

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Ipomea spp. Morning glory

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Tridax procumbence Tridax daisy, wild daisy

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Chloris barbata Swollen Finger grass Chloris gayana Feather Finger grass

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Digitaria sanguinalis Crabgrass

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Dactyloctenium aegyptium Crowfootgrass

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Echinocloa spp. Barnyard grass

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Paspalum distichum. Water couch

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Eleusine indica Goose grass

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Eragrostis spp. Lovegrass

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Setaria spp. Foxtail

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Cyperus rotundus Purple nut sedge

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Cyperus compressus Nut sedge

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Cyperus defformis Nut sedge

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Cyperus esculantus Yellow nut sedge

Module IX: Weeds and Weed Control Lesson 1: Weeds and Weed Competition in Chili Pepper Unit 3: Striga Cynodon dactylon Bermuda grass