Data and R scripts for: Identifying existing management practices in the control of Striga asiatica within rice–maize systems in mid-west Madagascar

Infestations by the parasitic weed genus Striga result in significant losses to cereal crop yields across sub-Saharan Africa. The problem disproportionately affects subsistence farmers who frequently lack access to novel technologies. Effective Striga management therefore requires the development of strategies utilising existing cultural management practices. We report a multi-year, landscape-scale monitoring project for Striga asiatica in the mid-west of Madagascar, undertaken over 2019-2020 with the aims of examining cultural, climatic and edaphic factors currently driving abundance and distribution. Long-distance transects were established across the middle-west region of Madagascar, over which Striga asiatica abundance in fields was estimated. Analysis of the data highlights the importance of crop variety and legumes in driving Striga density. Moreover, the dataset revealed significant effect of precipitation seasonality, mean temperature and altitude in determining abundance. A com...寄生杂草属独脚金（Striga）的侵染会在撒哈拉以南非洲地区造成谷类作物产量的大幅损失。该问题对自给自足农户的影响尤为突出，这类农户往往难以获取新型农业技术。因此，要有效防控独脚金，需依托现有栽培管理措施开发针对性防控策略。本研究报道了一项于2019-2020年间在马达加斯加中西部开展的、针对亚洲独脚金（Striga asiatica）的多年份景观尺度监测项目，旨在解析当前驱动其发生丰度与分布格局的栽培、气候及土壤因子。研究人员在马达加斯加中西部区域布设了长距离样带，以此估算农田内亚洲独脚金的发生丰度。数据分析结果凸显了作物品种与豆科作物对独脚金种群密度的关键调控作用。此外，本数据集还揭示出降水季节变率、平均气温与海拔对其发生丰度具有显著影响。