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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Maricopa, Arizona » U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center » Pest Management and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #375645
Research Project: Improved Environmental and Crop Safety by Modification of the Aspergillus flavus Population Structure

Location: Pest Management and Biocontrol Research

Title: The atoxigenic biocontrol product Aflasafe SN01 is a valuable tool to mitigate aflatoxin contamination of both maize and groundnut cultivated in Senegal

Author
item SENGHOR, LAMINE - Ministry Of Agriculture And Rural Equipment (MAER)
item ORTEGA-BELTRAN, ALEJANDRO - International Institute Of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
item ATEHNKENG, JOSEPH - International Institute Of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
item Callicott, Kenneth
item Cotty, Peter
item BANDYOPADHYAY, RANAJIT - International Institute Of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/19/2019
Publication Date: 11/30/2019
Citation: Senghor, L., Ortega-Beltran, A., Atehnkeng, J., Callicott, K.A., Cotty, P.J., Bandyopadhyay, R. 2019. The atoxigenic biocontrol product Aflasafe SN01 is a valuable tool to mitigate aflatoxin contamination of both maize and groundnut cultivated in Senegal. Plant Disease. 104(2):510-520. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-19-0575-RE.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-19-0575-RE

Interpretive Summary: Crops grown in Senegal are frequently contaminated with aflatoxins, highly toxic, cancer-causing chemicals produced by some fungi. A new biological control product for aflatoxins was developed for Senegal using four isolates of the fungal species Aspergillus flavus that produce no aflatoxins and are thus called ‘atoxigenic’. Isolates were identified by genetically typing 447 atoxigenic fungi to identify the 12 most common genetic types. From 12 fungi with those common genetic types, the four that were best at reducing aflatoxin in the laboratory were chosen for the new biocontrol product. When that product was applied in peanut and corn fields, there were significantly fewer aflatoxin producers in those fields compared to fields where no product was applied, and there was significantly less aflatoxin contamination on the crops coming from fields treated with the biocontrol product. These results suggest that this new biocontrol product will be an effective treatment to limit crop contamination by aflatoxins.

Technical Abstract: Aflatoxin contamination of groundnut and maize infected by Aspergillus section Flavi fungi is common throughout Senegal. The use of biocontrol products containing atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus strains to reduce crop aflatoxin content has been successful in several regions, but no such products are available in Senegal. The biocontrol product Aflasafe SN01 was developed for use in Senegal. The four active ingredients of Aflasafe SN01 are atoxigenic A. flavus genotypes native to Senegal and distinct from active ingredients used in other biocontrol products. Efficacy tests on groundnut and maize in farmers’ fields were carried out in Senegal during the course of 5 years. Active ingredients were monitored with vegetative compatibility analyses. Significant (P < 0.05) displacement of aflatoxin producers occurred in all years, districts, and crops. In addition, crops from Aflasafe SN01-treated fields contained significantly (P < 0.05) fewer aflatoxins both at harvest and after storage. Most crops from treated fields contained aflatoxin concentrations permissible in both local and international markets. Results suggest that Aflasafe SN01 is an effective tool for aflatoxin mitigation in groundnut and maize. Large-scale use of Aflasafe SN01 should provide health, trade, and economic benefits for Senegal.