Population genetic structure in Striga hermonthica

The variable susceptibility of differing Striga hermonthica populations from sub-Saharan Africa to the mycoherbicide Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. strigae (Fos) isolates ‘Foxy-2’ and ‘FK3’, is a crucial constraint that discourages the general acceptance and use of the mycoherbicide. No previous research-based scientific basis explains the worrying phenomenon. Our work shows that genomic variation in S. hermonthica populations, rather than S. hermonthica sampling zones, better explain the variable susceptibility of S. hermonthica to ‘Foxy-2’ and ‘FK3’.

来自撒哈拉以南非洲的不同非洲独脚金（Striga hermonthica）种群对真菌除草剂尖孢镰刀菌独脚金专化型（Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. strigae，简称Fos）菌株‘Foxy-2’与‘FK3’的易感程度存在差异，这是阻碍该真菌除草剂被广泛接受与应用的关键限制因素。目前尚无基于研究的科学依据能够解释这一令人担忧的现象。本研究表明，相较于非洲独脚金的采样区域，非洲独脚金种群的基因组变异更能解释其对‘Foxy-2’与‘FK3’的易感程度差异。