Contamination of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) with Aspergillus section Flavi communities and aflatoxin at the post-harvest stage

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is essential to prepare numerous popular dishes across sub-Saharan Africa. However, groundnuts may contain hazardous aflatoxin levels. There scant information on levels in Uganda and the causal agents of contamination stored groundnut. High content hinders trading groundnut products international markets, affecting Uganda's economy. The current study assessed with Aspergillus section Flavi fungi under storage conditions. One hundred seventy-nine samples were sourced from farmers' household stores 18 major groundnut-producing districts seven agro-ecological zones (AEZ). Aflatoxin ranged 0 1327 ng/g. Around 45% had above National Bureau Standards (10 ng/g). In addition, 1829 isolates recovered, A. flavus L morphotype dominated communities (80%). Cropping systems, climatic conditions different AEZ influenced communities' structure composition significant (P < 0.05) differences frequencies species among districts. extremely high detected some beckoned urgent need for management strategies are. biocontrol containing atoxigenic flavus, such as those study, could be used reduce both field