The fungus breaking the curse of 'witchweed'

Striga - sometimes known as 'witchweed' - is a parasitic weed which was introduced to Africa about 100 years ago. Each year, it destroys billions of dollars worth of crops across the continent - forcing smallholders and farmers off their land as it takes over crops like millet and sorghum.

But after years of development by scientists, a laboratory in Kenya is now growing a natural fungus which can kill the weed without affecting the crops - all distributed to farmers on toothpicks. In tests involving 500 small farms, yields were increased by an average of between 42 - 56%.

David Sands is a Professor of Plant Pathology at Montana State University and part of the team which developed the technique.

"It's the scourge of maybe 40 million smallholder farmers in 18 different countries in Africa. It could take 20-80% of your anticipated yield, which is huge. If you're a farmer relying on your farm and it's only 1-2 acres, you're in deep trouble."

(Photo: A farmer shows corn from treated and untreated fields. Credit: The Toothpick Project)

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