Keeping toxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic-based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in Mozambique

Aflatoxins, produced by aflatoxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi fungi, commonly occur in groundnut and maize grown in Mozambique and have long been associated with high prevalence of liver cancer, stunting, and restricted access to lucrative international markets. Effective aflatoxin control options...

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Main Authors: Augusto, J., Atehnkeng, J., Ortega-Beltran, A., Cotty, P.J., Bandyopadhyay, R.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Frontiers Media 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163405
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author Augusto, J.
Atehnkeng, J.
Ortega-Beltran, A.
Cotty, P.J.
Bandyopadhyay, R.
author_browse Atehnkeng, J.
Augusto, J.
Bandyopadhyay, R.
Cotty, P.J.
Ortega-Beltran, A.
author_facet Augusto, J.
Atehnkeng, J.
Ortega-Beltran, A.
Cotty, P.J.
Bandyopadhyay, R.
author_sort Augusto, J.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Aflatoxins, produced by aflatoxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi fungi, commonly occur in groundnut and maize grown in Mozambique and have long been associated with high prevalence of liver cancer, stunting, and restricted access to lucrative international markets. Effective aflatoxin control options in the country are limited and not adequately explored. Biocontrol products based on atoxigenic strains of A. flavus provide viable aflatoxin mitigation measures but require development for Mozambique. Four hundred and sixty-eight (468) and 558 groundnut and maize farmers, respectively, voluntarily evaluated the effectiveness of two biocontrol products (Aflasafe MWMZ01 and Aflasafe MZ02), each containing as active ingredients four distinct atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus belonging to native vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs), at preventing aflatoxin contamination and displacement of aflatoxigenic fungi for 2 years in various agro-ecologies. Most groundnut and maize treated with the biocontrol products were below maximum levels for food in the European Union (EU; 85%; p < 0.01) and the United States (US; 99%; p < 0.01). In contrast, most non-treated maize and groundnut (ranging from 38 to 70%; p = 0.05) were above the EU and US maximum allowable levels for food. Aflatoxin reductions ranged from 78 to 98% (p < 0.01) in treated groundnut, and from 61 to 93% (p < 0.01) in treated maize. Toxigenic fungi were almost completely displaced from soils and crops by the applied atoxigenic active ingredients. This study revealed that the atoxigenic based biocontrol technology is effective in Mozambique at displacing aflatoxigenic fungi and reducing aflatoxin accumulation in both groundnut and maize but a combination with other management tools is encouraged for better retention of crop quality along the value chain.
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spelling CGSpace1634052025-12-08T10:29:22Z Keeping toxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic-based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in Mozambique Augusto, J. Atehnkeng, J. Ortega-Beltran, A. Cotty, P.J. Bandyopadhyay, R. arachis hypogaea zea mays aspergillus flavus maize Aflatoxins, produced by aflatoxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi fungi, commonly occur in groundnut and maize grown in Mozambique and have long been associated with high prevalence of liver cancer, stunting, and restricted access to lucrative international markets. Effective aflatoxin control options in the country are limited and not adequately explored. Biocontrol products based on atoxigenic strains of A. flavus provide viable aflatoxin mitigation measures but require development for Mozambique. Four hundred and sixty-eight (468) and 558 groundnut and maize farmers, respectively, voluntarily evaluated the effectiveness of two biocontrol products (Aflasafe MWMZ01 and Aflasafe MZ02), each containing as active ingredients four distinct atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus belonging to native vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs), at preventing aflatoxin contamination and displacement of aflatoxigenic fungi for 2 years in various agro-ecologies. Most groundnut and maize treated with the biocontrol products were below maximum levels for food in the European Union (EU; 85%; p < 0.01) and the United States (US; 99%; p < 0.01). In contrast, most non-treated maize and groundnut (ranging from 38 to 70%; p = 0.05) were above the EU and US maximum allowable levels for food. Aflatoxin reductions ranged from 78 to 98% (p < 0.01) in treated groundnut, and from 61 to 93% (p < 0.01) in treated maize. Toxigenic fungi were almost completely displaced from soils and crops by the applied atoxigenic active ingredients. This study revealed that the atoxigenic based biocontrol technology is effective in Mozambique at displacing aflatoxigenic fungi and reducing aflatoxin accumulation in both groundnut and maize but a combination with other management tools is encouraged for better retention of crop quality along the value chain. 2024 2024-12-12T09:48:26Z 2024-12-12T09:48:26Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163405 en Open Access application/pdf Frontiers Media Augusto, J., Atehnkeng, J., Ortega-Beltran, A., Cotty, P.J. & Bandyopadhyay, R. (2024). Keeping toxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic-based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in Mozambique. Frontiers in Microbiology, 15: 1501924, 1-14.
spellingShingle arachis hypogaea
zea mays
aspergillus flavus
maize
Augusto, J.
Atehnkeng, J.
Ortega-Beltran, A.
Cotty, P.J.
Bandyopadhyay, R.
Keeping toxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic-based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in Mozambique
title Keeping toxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic-based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in Mozambique
title_full Keeping toxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic-based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in Mozambique
title_fullStr Keeping toxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic-based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in Mozambique
title_full_unstemmed Keeping toxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic-based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in Mozambique
title_short Keeping toxigenic Aspergillus section Flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic-based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in Mozambique
title_sort keeping toxigenic aspergillus section flavi and aflatoxin contamination at bay by deploying atoxigenic based biocontrol products during production of groundnut and maize in mozambique
topic arachis hypogaea
zea mays
aspergillus flavus
maize
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/163405
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