[compost_tea] a good fungi takes out a bad one.....

From: Jeff Lowenfels <jeff_at_gardener.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2005 06:31:09 -0900

ARS scientists developed two fungal strains that don't produce these
toxins in corn crops. The two nontoxic strains of A. flavus, called CT3
and K49, can be used to competitively displace, or out-compete, the
pest strain, according to Hamed K. Abbas, a plant pathologist with the
Crop Genetics and Production Research Unit in Stoneville, Miss.

Aflatoxins are a potential danger to food and a significant threat to
feed quality. The threat of aflatoxin contamination limits corn
production in the Southern United States. Hot, dry conditions are
particularly conducive to fungal growth and aflatoxin production.
Aflatoxin outbreaks devalue the corn, sometimes making it worthless and
costing corn growers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Using the beneficial fungus to treat soil that naturally contains high
levels of toxin-producing Aspergillus reduced contamination of corn by
60 to 85 percent. When a nontoxic fungal mixture was mixed with
toxin-producing A. flavus and used to treat soil, corn had 65 to 94
percent less aflatoxin, compared to corn grown in soil treated with the
toxin-producing fungal strain alone.

ARS has filed a patent application on the nontoxic fungal strains.
Abbas developed the strains during four years of field trails with
Robert M. Zablotowicz, a soil scientist located in Stoneville.

Further trials are needed to demonstrate that the fungal mixtures are
effective under varying conditions naturally found in southern corn
production. Additional research will determine the most effective and
consistent application methods.

ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research
agency.

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Received on Tue Feb 22 2005 - 11:34:36 EST

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