Reducing Pre-Harvest Losses from Aflatoxin in Maize Production Through Integrated Breeding and Pest Management Strategies

Aflatoxin is a highly carcinogenic and highly regulated mycotoxin produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus in maize when the plants are under stressful (unfavorable abiotic and biotic) conditions. Aflatoxin contamination of maize is a threat to food security in both the U.S. and World. It is a recurring problem in the Southern U.S. causing substantial economic losses for growers and the problem will likely expand toward the Midwestern Corn Belt under a changing climate. We hypothesize that sufficient mitigation of aflatoxin will require integrated strategies of breeding for adaptation and known genetic resistances, appropriate management of insects and stress, and the application of atoxigenic strains.