Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection (2014) 47, 2141-2156

Shetty Thimmappa Divakara, Mohammed Aiyaz, Puttaswamy Hariprasad, Siddaiah Chandra Nayaka and Siddapura Ramachandrappa Niranjana (2014)
Aspergillus flavus infection and aflatoxin contamination in sorghum seeds and their biological management
Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection 47 (17), 2141-2156
Abstract: In order to establish the current scenario of aflatoxigenic fungal infection and aflatoxin contamination in sorghum seeds across India, 58 seed samples were collected from different agro-climatic regions. Among these, 67.2% samples were infected with Aspergillus spp. and 28% were found contaminated with aflatoxins ranging from 0.0 to 130 μg kg⁻¹. Greenhouse studies revealed no correlation between incidence of Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin content, and its effect on seed quality parameters. Among the 37 A. flavus strains isolated, six were non-aflatoxigenic when analysed through cultural, TLC and ic-ELISA. Seed treatment with biocontrol agents (antagonistic Rhizobacteria and Trichoderma) suppressed the growth of A. flavus under laboratory and significantly enhanced seed quality variables under greenhouse conditions to a various extent. Field trials with selected biocontrol agents showed that talcum powder formulations of Pseudomonas putida Has-1/c, Bacillus spp. 3/a, Trichoderma asperellum M5 and T. asperellum T2 improved seedling emergence, % nutrient accumulation in plants, increased plant biomass and 1000 seed weight. Seeds harvested from treated plants showed significant increase in seed quality variables under laboratory and greenhouse conditions in comparison with control, but there was no significant difference in A. flavus infection and aflatoxin was completely absent in all treatments.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Siddapura Ramachandrappa Niranjana

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aspergillus flavus (plant/storage disease)	Sorghum (crop)