Aflatoxin Production in Corn by Aspergillus flavus Relative to Inoculation, Planting Date, and Harvest Moisture in Louisiana

Corn produced in the southeastern United States has higher levels of aflatoxin than corn produced in the Corn Belt states of the Midwest (Zuber et al.,1976). Because corn acreage has increased recently in Louisiana, there is a growing concern among corn producers regarding levels of aflatoxin in their grain. Although the most effective control of A. flavus and aflatoxin contamination is through the development of genetically resistant hybrids (Scott et al., 1991), successful management of aflatoxin in the field will require host resistance combined with management strategies such as appropriate N fertilization and population density, planting date, harvest moisture, insect control, and irrigation (Jones and Duncan, 1981; Jones et al., 1980; Payne, 1992; Wilson and Payne, 1994; Tubajika et al., 1999). Previous work indicated that early planting and harvesting reduced aflatoxin contamination in the field (Jones and Duncan,1981; Jones, Duncan, and Hamilton, 1980). This study examines the interaction of inoculation, planting date, and harvest moisture on the production of aflatoxin in Louisiana corn.