Artemisia annua produces artemisinin, a major component of the current malaria treatment. Artemisinin also inhibits growth and germination of other plants. The parasitic plant Striga threatens food security in Africa. A. annua could inhibit Striga but could harm crops. If A. annua does not harm soil viability, farmers could alternate A. annua with their crops. The effects of A. annua on beans, corn, Rhizobium spp. and soil microbes were measured. Pure artemisinin inhibited Striga seeds but did not affect the seeds of either crop plant. Dried A. annua leaves caused a temporary delay in germination of beans but not corn. While A. annua altered the microbe composition of the soil, it did not affect crop growth or the nodulation of beans by Rhizobium.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Gomez, Juan F.

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-042511-112347

Advisor

• Weathers, Pamela

Year

• 2011

Date created

• 2011-04-25

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright