Sphynolactone-7: Phytohormone Mimic Leading to Withering of the “Witchweed” Striga

Striga is a parasitic plant called “witchweed”, which has been significantly reducing the amount of grains yield especially in Africa.¹⁾ Striga germinates by detecting strigolactone, a plant hormone produced from a host plant. Sphynolactone-7 (SPL7) is a strigolactone mimic which can force Striga to germinate and wither in soil without the host plant as a nutrient source.²⁾ The activity of SPL7 against Striga germination is extremely high compared with other existing strigolactone analogs like GR24,³⁾ but SPL7 binds specifically to the strigolactone receptor of Striga. Furthermore, SPL7’s bioactivity as other plants’ hormone is very weak. So it is expected to be used as a revolutionary control method against Striga.