Uprooting underground killers

Parasitic
weeds of the genus Striga—also known as witchweeds—are a major threat to upland
rice production in several parts of Africa. The roots of Striga seedlings
penetrate the root cells of host plants, among them, rice, and leave them weak
and unproductive. AfricaRice and its partners are making significant headway in
the struggle to control Striga in rice fields across the continent.