Location: National Peanut Research Laboratory
Project Number: 6044-21600-001-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: Oct 18, 2023
End Date: Oct 17, 2028
Objective:
1. Develop and evaluate agronomic strategies to minimize aflatoxin in peanut cropping systems and mitigate the effects of late-season drought.
Sub-objective 1a: Assess seed coatings with associated non-toxigenic A. flavus that have been known to reduce aflatoxin.
Sub-objective 1b: Evaluate biological (soil) amendments as food source for fungi to minimize aflatoxin contamination in peanut.
Sub-objective 1c: Use mechanical and chemical techniques that may reduce soil moisture loss and measure the response in plant transpiration.
Sub-objective 1d: Evaluate peanut response to late season rainfall after digging and prior to harvest with respect to peanut yield, grade, and quality.
2. Enhance agronomic decision support systems and economic feasibility models that support a wide variety of end users, including small- and medium-scale producers, in selecting system management options to improve profitability and environmental stewardship of peanut-based cropping systems.
Approach:
The United States peanut industry produces high quality peanut and generates approximately $4.4 billion annually in economic activity. Regrettably, some peanuts may be contaminated with mycotoxins during late season drought especially in dryland produced peanut. A decade ago, losses due to aflatoxin contamination were approximately $25 Million/year; in 2017-2018 they averaged $56 Million/year, and in 2019 they reached $117 Million following warmer and dryer conditions. It has been shown that Aflatoxin contamination can be minimized by irrigation or by applying a competitive, non-toxigenic fungi source applied 60 to 80 days after planting. Unfortunately, some land areas are not economical feasible to install any type of irrigation system to minimize aflatoxin and remain in dryland peanut production. However, with new technology, it is possible to apply the bio-competitive fungi to the peanut seed at planting instead of later in the growing season, thereby, reducing time, energy, and application costs. Therefore, the project objects are to 1) Develop and evaluate agronomic strategies to minimize aflatoxin in peanut cropping systems and mitigate the effects of late-season drought and 2) Enhance agronomic decision support systems and economic feasibility models that support a wide variety of end users, including small- and medium-scale producers, in selecting system management options to improve profitability and environmental stewardship of peanut-based cropping systems. The focus will assess various agronomic strategies to minimize aflatoxin contamination in peanut and the economic impact of these strategies. These techniques may include: 1) the assessment of possible seed coatings with associated non-toxigenic Aspergillus. Flavus, 2) the application of biological (soil) amendments as food source for fungi, 3) reduce plant transpiration using mechanical or chemical means that curtails soil moisture loss (reduce drought effects), 4) document peanut response to late season rainfall after digging and prior to harvest, and 5) determine economic feasibility of these practices on grower income coupled with economic impact analysis for the entire US peanut industry. Results will improve knowledge on peanut sustainability with respect to changes in climate during and at the end of the growing season and provide an electronic platform quantifying economic and sustainable impacts. End users include farmers, crop consultants, university extension personnel, bankers/lenders, peanut brokers, peanut buyers, storage facility managers, policy makers, and others associated in the peanut industry.
