A femtomolar-range suicide germination stimulant for the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica

A step toward control of a noxious weed The parasitic plant Striga hermonthica causes extensive crop losses, particularly in Africa. Strigolactone hormones can be used to initiate germination of Striga seeds when no host crop is present, which causes the nascent Striga plants to die. Unfortunately, strigolactones are also used by crop plants to establish beneficial mutualisms. Uraguchi et al. developed a hybrid molecule that can initiate Striga germination without interfering with strigolactone-dependent events in the host (see the Perspective by Bouwmeester). The compound has the potential to diversify routes toward protecting fields from Striga infestation. Science , this issue p. 1301 ; see also p. 1248