In Senegal, groundnut and maize are commonly contaminated with highly toxic, cancer-causing chemicals called aflatoxins, produced by fungi when they infect crops.
Recently, a team of plant pathologists from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), supported by A4NH, have developed an aflatoxin biocontrol product called Aflasafe® SN01, specifically designed for use in Senegal. Tests conducted in important crop production areas of Senegal for five years in more than 500 fields found the product to be highly efficient in reducing aflatoxin contamination in groundnut and maize.
The research, published in the February issue of Plant Disease, is a component of IITA's Africa-wide Alfasafe initiative, which develops and implements aflatoxin management strategies centered on the biocontrol technology. As of now, 14 Aflasafe products have been developed and registered for use in 10 African nations, with development in progress in an additional 10 countries.
This post was adapted from a press release issued by the American Phytopathological Society. Read the full post here.
To learn more about the study and the findings about Aflasafe SN01 in Senegal, read the paper, "The Atoxigenic Biocontrol Product Aflasafe SN01 is a Valuable Tool to Mitigate Aflatoxin Contamination of Both Maize and Groundnut Cultivated in Senegal."
Learn more about Aflasafe.
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