Striga Asiatica
- Intercropping with legumes such as soybean, cowpea or groundnut within the sugarcane rows row can significantly reduce the number of Striga coming to maturity.
- Plants which are pulled, within 2-3 weeks of the start of flowering, should be taken out of the field and burned so that seeds are not produced and shed from the drying plants.
- Where it is available and feasible or the farmer, the herbicide 2,4-D can be used before Striga flowering, as an alternative to hand-pulling but it may need to be repeated.
- Trash mulching at 5.0 tonnes/ha at 90 days after planting has been found effective in reducing the density and dry weight of Striga.
- Pre-emergence application of atrazine at 1.0 kg/ha + 1 hand weeding at 45 days after planting with an earthing up at 60 days after planting combine with post-emergence application of 2,4-D Na salt at 5 g/l (0.50%) + urea 20 g/l (2%) at 90 days after planting has been recommended for effective control of Striga in sugarcane