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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #131943
Title: INFECTION OF ARACHIS HYPOGAEA BY MELOIDOGYNE ARENARIA MAY INCREASE AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION OF KERNELS

Author
item Timper, Patricia - Patty
item WILSON, D - UNIV. OF GEORGIA

Submitted to: Nematology - Abstracts Only
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2002
Publication Date: 6/8/2002
Citation: Timper, P., Wilson, D.M. 2002. Infection of Arachis hypogaea by Meloidogyne arenaria may increase aflatoxin contamination of kernels [abstract]. Nematology. 4(2):214.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A field-microplot study was conducted to determine whether aflatoxin levels in peanut, Arachis hypogaea, were correlated with pod and root galling caused by Meloidogyne arenaria (Ma). The experiment was a completely randomized 2x2 factorial with six replicates per treatment. Factors were nematodes, plus and minus Ma, and fungus, plus and minus Aspergillus flavus (Af). Peanut seedlings, either infected with Ma or uninfected, were transplanted into 2.3-m2 plots previously fumigated with methyl bromide. Inoculum of Af was sprinkled over the plant canopy at mid bloom. Drought was induced after pod set by covering plots during rain with a fiberglass shelter. Pod-and root-gall indices (1-5 scale) were determined for all plants in the plot and averaged. Pods from each plot were bulked, shelled, and a subsample of kernels was used to determine aflatoxin concentration; however, there was an interaction between these factors (P=0.003). In plots without added fungus, there was a correlation between aflatoxin concentration vs pod-gall index (P=0.001, r=0.82) and vs root-gall index (P=0.006, r=0.74). Colonization of kernels by Af increased with increasing pod galling (P=0.04, r=0.42).