Effect of vermicompost, intercropping, and seedbed types on <i>Striga hermonthica</i> infestation and sorghum production in East Hararghe, Ethiopia

Abstract Striga hermonthica is the most devastating parasitic weed affecting the productivity of cereal crops in Sub‐Saharan Africa. The key challenge for controlling this weed is identifying the optimal management strategies that simultaneously reduce Striga infection while boosting crop productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the potential role of intercropping, vermicompost, and seedbed types on the level of S. hermonthica infestation and sorghum productivity in 2021 and 2022 years. The treatments consisted of three factors: (i) three sowing methods (sole‐cropped sorghum (SS), intercropped sorghum with Babile‐1 (SB1), and Babile‐2 (SB2) groundnut varieties); (ii) four levels of vermicompost (0, 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 t/ha); and (iii) two seedbed types (open‐furrow and tied‐ridge). The results indicated that pure‐stand sorghum in open‐furrow planting without fertilizer had the tallest height (60 cm), the heaviest dry weight (39 g) as well as the highest Area under Striga Number Progress Curve (ASNPC) (&gt;1200) in the first year with substantial reduction in successive year. The combination of 4.5 t/ha vermicompost, tied‐ridge, and groundnut intercropping gave the maximum sorghum panicle weight (151 g/plant), stover yield (14.21 t/ha), and grain yield (6.01 t/ha) in the year 2022. The greatest grain yield observed at 4.5 t/ha vermicompost under tied‐ridge with SB2 was nearly three times higher than the plot without vermicompost application. This treatment combination significantly suppresses S. hermonthica infestation while improving sorghum yield attributes. Thus, it could reduce food insecurity in the lowlands of Ethiopia via improving sorghum productivity, resources use efficiency, and soil health.