Mitigation of aflatoxin contamination of maize, groundnut, and sorghum by commercial biocontrol products in farmers' fields across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Togo.

Background: Aflatoxin contamination by section Flavi fungi poses a significant threat to food security and public health in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Maize, groundnut, and sorghum are staple crops frequently contaminated with aflatoxins, sometimes at dangerous levels. Despite its detrimental effects, many farmers in SSA lack access to effective tools for mitigating aflatoxin contamination.

Efficacy of atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus from southern China as biocontrol agents against aflatoxin contamination in corn and peanuts.

Aspergillus flavus is a ubiquitous facultative pathogen that routinely infects important crops leading to formation of aflatoxins during crop development and after harvest. Corn and peanuts in warm and/or drought-prone regions are highly susceptible to aflatoxin contamination. Controlling aflatoxin using atoxigenic A.

Structure of Aspergillus flavus populations associated with maize in Greece, Spain, and Serbia: Implications for aflatoxin biocontrol on a regional scale.

Aspergillus flavus is the most frequently identified producer of aflatoxins. Non-aflatoxigenic members of the A. flavus L strains are used in various continents as active ingredients of bioprotectants directed at preventing aflatoxin contamination by competitive displacement of aflatoxin producers.

Aflatoxin contamination of maize and groundnut in Burundi: Distribution of contamination, identification of causal agents and potential biocontrol genotypes of .

Aflatoxin contamination of the staples maize and groundnut is a concern for health and economic impacts across sub-Saharan Africa. The current study (i) determined aflatoxin levels in maize and groundnut collected at harvest in Burundi, (ii) characterized populations of section associated with the two crops, and (iii) assessed aflatoxin-producing potentials among the recovered fungi. A total of 120 groundnut and 380 maize samples were collected at harvest from eight and 16 provinces, respectively.

Multiple Year Influences of the Aflatoxin Biocontrol Product AF-X1 on the Communities Associated with Maize Production in Italy.

AF-X1 is a commercial aflatoxin biocontrol product containing the non-aflatoxigenic (AF-) strain of MUCL54911 (VCG IT006), endemic to Italy, as an active ingredient. The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term persistence of VCG IT006 in the treated fields, and the multi-year influence of the biocontrol application on the population. Soil samples were collected in 2020 and 2021 from 28 fields located in four provinces in north Italy.

Impact of frequency of application on the long-term efficacy of the biocontrol product Aflasafe in reducing aflatoxin contamination in maize.

Aflatoxins, produced by several section species in various crops, are a significant public health risk and a barrier to trade and development. In sub-Saharan Africa, maize and groundnut are particularly vulnerable to aflatoxin contamination. Aflasafe, a registered aflatoxin biocontrol product, utilizes atoxigenic genotypes native to Nigeria to displace aflatoxin producers and mitigate aflatoxin contamination.

Micro-climatic variations across Malawi have a greater influence on contamination of maize with aflatoxins than with fumonisins.

This study reports levels of aflatoxin and fumonisin in maize samples (n = 1294) from all agroecological zones (AEZs) in Malawi. Most maize samples (> 75%) were contaminated with aflatoxins and 45% with fumonisins, which co-occurred in 38% of the samples. Total aflatoxins varied across the AEZs, according to mean annual temperature (P < 0.

Genetic Diversity of Associated with Chili in Nigeria and Identification of Haplotypes with Potential in Aflatoxin Mitigation.

Dried red chili ( spp.), a widely produced and consumed spice in Nigeria, is often contaminated by aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are potent mycotoxins of severe health and economic concern worldwide.

Selection of Atoxigenic for Potential Use in Aflatoxin Prevention in Shandong Province, China.

is a common filamentous fungus widely present in the soil, air, and in crops. This facultative pathogen of both animals and plants produces aflatoxins, a group of mycotoxins with strong teratogenic and carcinogenic properties. Peanuts are highly susceptible to aflatoxin contamination and consumption of contaminated peanuts poses serious threats to the health of humans and domestic animals.

Temperature Influences on Interactions Among Aflatoxigenic Species of Section During Maize Colonization.

Fungal species within section contaminate food and feed with aflatoxins. These toxic fungal metabolites compromise human and animal health and disrupt trade. Genotypically and phenotypically diverse species co-infect crops, but temporal and spatial variation in frequencies of different lineages suggests that environmental factors such as temperature may influence structure of aflatoxin-producing fungal communities.

Degradation of Aflatoxins B by Atoxigenic Biocontrol Agents.

Aflatoxins are potent mycotoxins that contaminate food and feed, thereby impacting health and trade. Biopesticides with atoxigenic isolates as active ingredients are used to reduce aflatoxin contamination in crops. The mechanism of aflatoxin biocontrol is primarily attributed to competitive exclusion but, sometimes, aflatoxin is reduced by greater amounts than can be explained by displacement of aflatoxin-producing fungi on the crop.

Conservation and Loss of a Putative Iron Utilization Gene Cluster among Genotypes of .

Iron is an essential component for growth and development. Despite relative abundance in the environment, bioavailability of iron is limited due to oxidation by atmospheric oxygen into insoluble ferric iron. Filamentous fungi have developed diverse pathways to uptake and use iron.

Distribution of active ingredients of a commercial aflatoxin biocontrol product in naturally occurring fungal communities across Kenya.

Human populations in Kenya are repeatedly exposed to dangerous aflatoxin levels through consumption of contaminated crops. Biocontrol with atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus is an effective method for preventing aflatoxin in crops. Although four atoxigenic A.

Field efficacy of two atoxigenic biocontrol products for mitigation of aflatoxin contamination in maize and groundnut in Ghana.

Biological control is one of the recommended methods for aflatoxin mitigation. Biocontrol products must be developed, and their efficacy demonstrated before widespread use. Efficacy of two aflatoxin biocontrol products, Aflasafe GH01 and Aflasafe GH02, were evaluated in 800 maize and groundnut farmers' fields during 2015 and 2016 in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern, Upper East, and Upper West regions of Ghana.

Influence of Wounding and Temperature on Resistance of Maize Landraces From Mexico to Aflatoxin Contamination.

Maize is a staple for billions across the globe. However, in tropical and sub-tropical regions, maize is frequently contaminated with aflatoxins by section Flavi fungi. There is an ongoing search for sources of aflatoxin resistance in maize to reduce continuous exposures of human populations to those dangerous mycotoxins.

Phenotypic Differentiation of Two Morphologically Similar Aflatoxin-Producing Fungi from West Africa.

Aflatoxins (AF) are hepatocarcinogenic metabolites produced by several species. Crop infection by these species results in aflatoxin contamination of cereals, nuts, and spices. Etiology of aflatoxin contamination is complicated by mixed infections of multiple species with similar morphology and aflatoxin profiles.

Biotransformation of aflatoxin B by Lactobacillus helviticus FAM22155 in wheat bran by solid-state fermentation.

Lactobacillus helveticus FAM22155 was the most efficient among five lactic acid bacteria at removing aflatoxin B (AFB) during solid-state fermentation on wheat bran substrate. The mechanism of removal was explored by comparing different fermentation modes. Liquid fermentation had little effect on the breakdown of AFB.

Molecular Analysis of S-morphology Aflatoxin Producers From the United States Reveals Previously Unknown Diversity and Two New Taxa.

Aflatoxins are highly toxic carcinogens that detrimentally influence profitability of agriculture and the health of humans and domestic animals. Several phylogenetically distinct fungi within section have S-morphology (average sclerotial size < 400 μm), and consistently produce high concentrations of aflatoxins in crops. S-morphology fungi have been implicated as important etiologic agents of aflatoxin contamination in the United States (US), but little is known about the diversity of these fungi.

Founder events influence structures of Aspergillus flavus populations.

In warm regions, agricultural fields are occupied by complex Aspergillus flavus communities composed of isolates in many vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) with varying abilities to produce highly toxic, carcinogenic aflatoxins. Aflatoxin contamination is reduced with biocontrol products that enable atoxigenic isolates from atoxigenic VCGs to dominate the population. Shifts in VCG frequencies similar to those caused by the introduction of biocontrol isolates were detected in Sonora, Mexico, where biocontrol is not currently practiced.

"Ground-Truthing" Efficacy of Biological Control for Aflatoxin Mitigation in Farmers' Fields in Nigeria: From Field Trials to Commercial Usage, a 10-Year Study.

In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), diverse fungi belonging to section frequently contaminate staple crops with aflatoxins. Aflatoxins negatively impact health, income, trade, food security, and development sectors. is the most common causal agent of contamination.

Monitoring Genotypes in a Multi-Genotype Aflatoxin Biocontrol Product With Quantitative Pyrosequencing.

Aflatoxins pose significant food security and public health risks, decrease productivity and profitability of animal industries, and hamper trade. To minimize aflatoxin contamination in several crops, a biocontrol technology based on atoxigenic strains of is commercially used in the United States and some African countries. Significant efforts are underway to popularize the use of biocontrol in Africa by various means including incentives.

Performance of Broilers Fed with Maize Colonized by Either Toxigenic or Atoxigenic Strains of with and without an Aflatoxin-Sequestering Agent.

In warm agricultural areas across the globe, maize, groundnut, and other crops become frequently contaminated with aflatoxins produced primarily by the fungus . Crop contamination with those highly toxic and carcinogenic compounds impacts both human and animal health, as well as the income of farmers and trade. In Nigeria, poultry productivity is hindered by high prevalence of aflatoxins in feeds.

Potential of Atoxigenic Vegetative Compatibility Groups Associated With Maize and Groundnut in Ghana as Biocontrol Agents for Aflatoxin Management.

Increasing knowledge of the deleterious health and economic impacts of aflatoxin in crop commodities has stimulated global interest in aflatoxin mitigation. Current evidence of the incidence of isolates belonging to vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) lacking the ability to produce aflatoxins (i.e.