A Mathematical Model for Predicting Occurrence of Aflatoxin Hotspots in Peanut Fields

Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus hereafter referred to jointly as A. flavus, are soil fungi that infect and contaminate preharvest and postharvest peanuts with the carcinogenic secondary metabolite aflatoxin. A. flavus can cause extensive economic losses to peanut growers and shellers by contaminating peanut kernels with aflatoxins. Earlier research by our team found that aflatoxin contamination of peanut was spatially distributed within a rainfed peanut field and included areas with high aflatoxin concentrations or “hotspots”.  The goal of this study is to develop a mathematical model that predicts areas in the field in which aflatoxin hotspots may occur. The model is expected to provide peanut growers with the ability to identify and check aflatoxin concentrations in potential hotspots prior to harvest and if unacceptable concentrations are found, peanuts from these hotspots may be segregated during harvest to ensure that their overall crop is not contaminated.  This project includes participants from the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Engineering, and Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources.

Project Graduate Students:  Sunaab Kukal (M.S.), Sara Maktabi (Ph.D.)

Funded by the National Peanut Board, the Georgia Peanut Commission, USDA-ARS, and a University of Georgia Presidential Seed Grant