Poster Session: Biology of Pathogens - Postharvest Pathology and Mycotoxins

100-P

Prevalence and distribution of Aspergillus section Flavi in maize and groundnut fields and aflatoxin contamination in Mozambique.
J. AUGUSTO (1), J. Atehnkeng (2), J. Akello (3), P. Cotty (4), R. Bandyopadhyay (2)
(1) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nampula, Mozambique; (2) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria; (3) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Lusaka, Zambia; (4) USDA/ARS, Tucson, AZ, U.S.A.

High prevalence of liver cancer in Mozambique has been linked to intake of aflatoxin contaminated foods. Aflatoxins have also adversely impacted exports of Mozambican groundnuts. The extent of aflatoxin contamination of groundnut and maize, two aflatoxin-prone crops, and field population of Aspergilli is not clear. Geo-referenced 305 soil samples were collected in maize and groundnut farmers’ fields at harvest in 2013 in different agroecological zones (AEZ) to determine inoculum density and distribution of Aspergillus section Flavi. At least 300 geo-referenced samples of each maize and groundnut were collected at harvest and during storage for aflatoxin mapping. Soil inoculum of Aspergilli was medium to high (30-2,000 CFU/g) in the hot, humid, low to medium altitude (50-600m) AEZ of Manica, Zambezia and Nampula provinces, and low (0-30 CFU/g) in the wet, high altitude (>1,000m) AEZ of Tete province, irrespective of crop. Aspergillus flavus L-strain and A. parasiticus were the most frequently isolated Aspergilli but S-strain and A. tamari were also isolated. Aflatoxin levels were high in groundnut (0-5,674ppb) compared to maize (0-687ppb) in all locations but aflatoxin levels were similar at harvest and storage for both crops. Nampula and Zambezia had the highest aflatoxin levels for both crops. The high occurrence of aflatoxin in these two provinces in this study suggests that they are potentially aflatoxin-hot spot areas and aflatoxin mitigation options are needed.