Förbättra livsmedelssäkerhet genom jordbruk innovationsplattformar, växtförädling och agronomisk interventioner för att förbättras durra mot Striga resistens i Sudan

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is an important staple food crop that plays a vital role in improving household food security in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Unfortunately, biotic and abiotic stresses, climate change and edaphic factors are major constraints to sustainable sorghum production threatening food and nutritional security.

Among its major stress factors, Striga hermonthica, which is regarded as the “sorghum’s worst enemy”, causes up to 100% yield losses in smallholder farms. Hence, genetic resistance to this parasitic weed is the most economically viable control measure. Sudanese sorghum has been identified as a major source of resistance against Striga.

The project goal builds towards a vision to achieve sustainable food security and reduce poverty by growing Striga resistant sorghum cultivars.

To contribute to this vision, a highly motivated international team of diverse expertise is proposing this project focusing on sorghum’s center of origin.

This project aims to apply innovative genomic solutions that speed up the pyramiding of resistance genes, thereby keeping pace with changes in the Striga infestation capacity, through 1) socio-economic study; 2) introgressing new Striga resistance gene(s) 3) association genetics; 4) capacity building; 5) and climate-smart agriculture.

This project has enormous potential for identifying new sources of Striga resistance, in which this novel research opens up opportunities for durable Striga resistance in sorghum breeding.