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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Dawson, Georgia » National Peanut Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #226989
Title: Effect of nontoxigenic Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus on aflatoxin contamination of wounded peanut seeds inoculated with agricultural soil containing natural fungal populations

Author
item Horn, Bruce
item Dorner, Joe

Submitted to: Mycological Society of America
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2008
Publication Date: 9/15/2008
Citation: Horn, B.W., Dorner, J.W. 2008. Effect of nontoxigenic Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus on aflatoxin contamination of wounded peanut seeds inoculated with agricultural soil containing natural fungal populations. Mycological Society of America.

Interpretive Summary: none required.

Technical Abstract: Peanuts and other seed and grain crops are commonly contaminated with carcinogenic aflatoxins, secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. Aflatoxin contamination of peanuts in the field can be reduced by 77 to 98% with biological control through the application of nontoxigenic strains of these species, which competitively exclude native aflatoxin-producing strains from developing peanuts. In this study, viable peanut seeds were artificially wounded and inoculated with field soil containing natural fungal populations that were supplemented with conidia of nontoxigenic A. flavus NRRL 21882 and A. parasiticus NRRL 21369. Increasing soil densities of applied nontoxigenic strains resulted in an increase in the incidence of seed colonization by applied nontoxigenic strains, a decrease in seed colonization by wild-type A. flavus and A. parasiticus, and a decrease in aflatoxin concentration in seeds. Reduction of aflatoxins in peanut seeds depended on both the density and the aflatoxin-producing potential of native populations and on the fungal strain used for biological control.