The parasitic flowering plants, Striga gesnerioides (wild.) Vatke and Alectra vogelii (Benth.), cause substantial yield reduction in cowpea in the dry savcannas of sub-Saharan Africa. Alectra is more prevalent in the Northern Guinea savanna and Southern Sudan Savanna of West Africa, as well as in East and Southern Africa whereas Striga is mostly found in West and Central Africa. However, both are fast spreading beyond these limits. Collaborative studies with national and regional programs have ...

The florist’s geranium (Pelargonium×domesticum) is a favorite house plant, available in many varieties. OtherPelargoniumspecies are commercially important for geranium oil. These plants are known as scented geraniums and the principal ones are:P. graveolens,P. fragrans,P. odoratissimus,P. capitatum,P. quercifolia,P. citrosum, andP. abrotaniolium. The remaining families of the Geraniales order are of less economic importance; some are, however, important locally for food (as oil for seasoning or ...

This 6th symposium on parasitic plants was held in Spain in 1996 during which 101 papers were read, divided into 6 headings, including evolution and population structure, form, structure, biochemistry and physiology of the parasitic plant. The relationship between parasite and host, including methods of germination, host ranges and ecology, resistance mechanisms, selection methods to resistance of host plants, control methods covering the fields of conventional, integrated and biocontrol methods ...

The contribution of the soil scientist to land use planning mainly consists in the identification of land units and the assessment of their soil-related opportunities and limitations for various land utilization types. With a land use scenario study for the Flemish region in Belgium as an example, it is demonstrated how a soil map, static soil information, and pedotransfer functions can be used in a practical qualitative-semiquantitative application. Recent insights into the nature of soil variability ...