Research Project: Management of Aflatoxin and Other Mycotoxins in Row Crops such as Maize, Peanut, and Soybean

Location: Biological Control of Pests Research

Publications (Clicking on the reprint icon will take you to the publication reprint.)

Microplastic uptake by birds: from observation to development of a novel seed coating approach to prevent bird predation of corn seeds - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Accinelli, C., Bruno, V., Abbas, H.K., Morena, C., Khambhati, V.H., Shier, W.T. 2025. Microplastic uptake by birds: from observation to development of a novel seed coating approach to prevent bird predation of corn seeds. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-025-36115-x.

Investigation of the spatial arrangement of mycotoxin build-up in corn stored under different environmental conditions - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Kerry, R., Ingram, B., Abbas, H.K., Ahiborne, G. 2025. Investigation of the spatial arrangement of mycotoxin build-up in corn stored under different environmental conditions . Toxins. 16, 508.

Evaluating Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) for the remediation of fumonisin B1 levels in livestock feed - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Paulk, R.T., Abbas, H.K., Rojas, M.G., Morales Ramos, J.A., Busman, M., Little, N., Shier, W.T. 2024. Evaluating Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) for the remediation of fumonisin B1 levels in livestock feed. Journal of Economic Entomology. Journal of Economic Entomology, XX(XX), 2024, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae273.

X-ray Irradiation of Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxin B1 Contaminated Maize  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Glesener, H., Abdollazedeh, D., Muse, C., Krajmalnik-Brown, R., Weaver, M.A., Voth-Gaeddert, L. 2024. X-ray Irradiation of Aspergillus flavus and Aflatoxin B1 Contaminated Maize . Toxins. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16080329.

How Crickets Can "Upcycle" Bad Grain Into Useful Animal Feed - (Popular Publication)
Paulk, R., Abbas, H.K., Rojas, M.G., Morales Ramos, J.A., Busman, M., Little, N., Shier, T.W. 2024. How Crickets Can "Upcycle" Bad Grain Into Useful Animal Feed. Journal of Economic Entomology. pg. 1-6. https://academic.oup.com/jee/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jee/toae025/7611982.

Evaluating Acheta domesticus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) for the reduction of fumonisin B1 levels in livestock feed - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Paulk, R.T., Abbas, H.K., Rojas, M.G., Morales Ramos, J.A., Busman, M., Little, N., Shier, T.W. 2024. Evaluating Acheta domesticus (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) for the reduction of fumonisin B1 levels in livestock feed. Journal of Economic Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toae025.

Use of a biochar-based formulation for coating corn seeds - (Other)
Accinelli, C., Abbas, H.K., Morena, C., Bruno, V., Khambhati, V.H., Paulk, R.T., Little, N.S., Bellaloui, N., Forbes, W., Shier, T.W. 2023. Use of a biochar-based formulation for coating corn (Zea mays) seeds . Journal of Crop Improvement. https://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1080/23311932.2023.2283956.

Mellein: Production in culture by macrophomina phaseolina isolates from soybean plants exhibiting symptoms of charcoal rot and its role in pathology - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Khambhati, V.H., Abbas, H.K., Sulyok, M., Tomaso-Peterson, M., Chen, J., Shier, W.T. 2023. Mellein: Production in culture by macrophomina phaseolina isolates from soybean plants exhibiting symptoms of charcoal rot and its role in pathology. Frontiers in Plant Science. 14-2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1105590.

Characterization of the Aspergillus flavus population from highly aflatoxin-contaminated corn in the United States - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Weaver, M.A., Callicott, K.A., Mehl, H.L., Opoku, J., Park, L.C., Fields, K., Mandel, J.R. 2022. Characterization of the Aspergillus flavus population from highly aflatoxin-contaminated corn in the United States. Toxins. 14(11). Article 755. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins14110755.

Pigment produced by glycine-stimulated macrophomina phaseolina is a (-)-botryodiplodin reaction product and the basis for an in-culture assay for (-)-botryodiplodin production - (Peer Reviewed Journal)
Alam, S., Abbas, H.K., Sulyok, M., Khambhati, V.H., Okunowo, W.O., Shier, T.W. 2022. Pigment produced by glycine-stimulated macrophomina phaseolina is a (-)-botryodiplodin reaction product and the basis for an in-culture assay for (-)-botryodiplodin production. Pathogens. 11(3):280. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11030280.