Sorghum crops in areas where the agricultural parasite striga, also known as witchweed, is common are more likely to have genetic adaptations to help them resist the parasite, according to new research led by Penn State scientists. Changes to the LGS1 gene affect some of the crop’s hormones, making it harder for parasites to find in the soil, at least in some regions. The changes, however, may come at a cost, affecting photosynthesis-related systems and perhaps growth. The new study by an international team of researchers appears online February 11, 2020, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and may eventually inform strategies for managing the parasite.
Click here for original story, Local genetic adaption helps sorghum crop hide from witchweed
Source: Phys.org