caa a22 4500 397520859 CHVBK 20180308164632.0 cr unu---uuuuu 161202e199512 xx s 000 0 eng 10.1093/jxb/46.12.1817 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)oxford-10.1093/jxb/46.12.1817 The parasitic angiosperm Striga hermonthica can reduce photosynthesis of its sorghum and maize hosts in the field [Elektronische Daten] [Anita L. Gurney, Malcolm C. Press, Joel K. Ransom] Two cultivars of sorghum (CK60 and Ochuti) and one cultivar of maize (H511) were grown in field plots in western Kenya in the presence or absence of the parasitic angiosperm Striga hermonthica, with or without a single addition of nitrogen fertilizer (150 kg N ha−1) using a factorial design. A progressive decline in rates of photosynthesis of Striga-infected plants were observed for the sorghum cultivar CK60 from 30 d after planting (DAP) and for maize from 40 DAP, until measurements ended 63 DAP. At this time photosynthetic rates were 46% and 31% lower in the Striga-infected sorghum and maize cultivars, respectively, compared to uninfected control plants. No decline in photosynthesis was observed in the second sorghum cultivar studied, Ochuti, a local land race reported to show some tolerance to the parasite. The trends in photosynthesis reflected stunting of the cereals, as determined by the height of the youngest emerged ligule, however, only the grain yield of the sorghum cultivar CK60 was significantly reduced by the presence of the parasite. The nitrogen application influenced neither the growth nor the photosynthetic parameters measured, and possible explanations for the absence of responses are discussed. It is concluded that S. hermonthica can reduce photosynthetic rates of field-grown sorghum and maize, and suggest that an ability to maintain high rates of photosynthesis whilst infected may be an important correlate of tolerance to the parasite. © Oxford University Press Research Papers nationallicence Parasitic angiosperm nationallicence photosynthesis nationallicence nitrogen nationallicence tropical weeds nationallicence tropical agriculture nationallicence Gurney Anita L. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN, UK aut Press Malcolm C. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN, UK aut Ransom Joel K. CIMMYT, PO Box 25171, Nairobi, Kenya aut Journal of Experimental Botany Oxford University Press 46/12(1995-12), 1817-1823 0022-0957 46:12<1817 1995 46 exbotj https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/46.12.1817 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/46.12.1817 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Gurney Anita L. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Press Malcolm C. Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield Sheffield S10 2TN, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Ransom Joel K. CIMMYT, PO Box 25171, Nairobi, Kenya aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Journal of Experimental Botany Oxford University Press 46/12(1995-12), 1817-1823 0022-0957 46:12<1817 1995 46 exbotj Metadata rights reserved CC BY-NC-4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-oxford