The secret behind witchweed's devastating ability to steal nutrients from crops
Monday, February 25, 2019 - 11:20
in Biology & Nature
Commonly known as "witchweed," the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica devastates crops in sub-Saharan Africa. Scientists have discovered a unique protein in Striga that helps sustain its high transpiration. Striga uses transpiration to effectively steal water and nutrients from its hosts, so this protein could provide a new target for controlling Striga. The findings were published on February 25 in Nature Plants.