Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus are important pathogens of cotton, corn, peanuts and other oil-seed crops, producing toxins both in the field and during storage. We have designed three siRNA sequences (Nor-Ia, Nor-Ib, Nor-Ic) to target the mRNA sequence of the aflD gene to examine the potential for using RNA silencing technology to control aflatoxin production. Thus, the effect of...

Fungal communities in soils of Nigerian maize fields were examined to determine distributions of aflatoxin-producing fungi and to identify endemic atoxigenic strains of potential value as biological control agents for limiting aflatoxin contamination in West African crops. Over 1000 isolates belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi were collected from soil of 55 Nigerian maize fields located in t...

Morphological changes of a toxigenic isolate of Aspergillus parasiticus cultured in the presence of aqueous leaf and seed extracts obtained from neem, Azadirachta indica A. Juss (syn. Melia azadirachta L.), a potent inhibitor of aflatoxin biosynthesis, was studied. Mycelial samples obtained from A. parasiticus cultures exposed to an effective concentration of the leaf and seed extracts (50% v/v...

Four oilseeds providing cocoa-butter substitutes--shea, pentadecima, illipe, and salseed--when tested as substrates for aflatoxin production by two strains of Aspergillus parasiticus, gave varying levels of aflatoxin. Aflatoxins were found at low levels occurring naturally in moldy shea-nuts, but none of 21 commercial shea-nut samples contained greater than 20 micrograms of aflatoxin B1 per kg.

Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus produced ethylene during early growth. However, the onset of toxin biosynthesis was marked by the absence of ethylene evolution. 2-Chloroethyl phosphonic acid, an ethylene-generating compound, inhibited aflatoxin biosynthesis in vivo. The reciprocal relationship between the production of aflatoxin and ethylene by the organism may indicate the invol...

ɛ-Poly-l-lysine (ɛ-PL) is a cationic peptide with a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. This study investigates the use of ɛ-PL as natural antimicrobial to inhibit fungal growth and to reduce aflatoxins (AFs) production. Antifungal activity of starch biofilms with different concentrations of ɛ-Poly-l-lysine (ɛ-PL) was determined in solid medium against Aspergillus parasiticus (AFs producer) ...