Identification and functional validation of effector genes in the parasitic weed Striga asiatica

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Striga species are obligate root parasitic weeds of cereals, including rain-fed rice, in sub Saharan Africa (SSA). They are the major biotic constraint to cereal production causing yield losses worth > 10 billion US$ annually. Control of Striga is essential for food security and poverty alleviation for small-holder subsistence farmers, but it remains elusive. The use of resistant cultivars is currently limited by a lack of knowledge of the molecular genetic basis of host resistance and parasite virulence.