Optimizing Soil Applied Formulations for Delivery and Establishment of Non-toxigenic A. flavus Strain K49 to Control Aflatoxin Contamination

Gain an understanding of the role of crop management practices on the ecology of Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin contamination in order to optimize the application of competitive exculsion products. Develop economical biologically-based strategies, including antagonists from soil fungi and bacteria, microbial competitors and antagonists, and natural compounds from biological sources, to minimize mycotoxins and their respective fungi in corn, and continue ecological studies on Aspergillus populations under various management strategies, e.g., rotations, tillage, and cover crops, and herbicide-resistant crops.