TIMING ON THE APPLICATION OF AFLASAFETZ01 ON REDUCTION OF TOXIGENIC ASPERGILLUS SPECIES ON MAIZE IN ZANZIBAR

Abstract

Management of aflatoxin contaminants in food had been a long-term problem until the discovery of toxigenic Aspergillus isolates commercially known as Aflasafe, and in Tanzania named as AflasafeTZ01, proved to competitively displace aflatoxin producers and effectively limit aflatoxin contamination in crops such as maize. The experiment conducted at Zanzibar Agricultural Research Institute aims to determine the proper time to apply AflasafeTZ01. There was a significant difference (p<0.001) in toxigenic Aspergillus colony forming unit (c.f.u) measured in soil for different times of AflasafeTz01 application. Treating soil at two weeks before planting significantly reduced colony forming unit (7556c.f. u/g, 3667c.f.u/g) in both soil and maize grains, followed by During planting (13111c.f.u/g, 6444c.f.u/g). No application had significantly highest (31167c.u.f/g, 5222c.f.u/g). Fungi isolates recovered from soil and maize grains are Penicillium (9389c.f.u/g, 2500c.f.u/g), Aspergillus niger (10222c.f.u/g, 3222c.f.u/g) and Aspergillus parasticus (10611c.f.u/g, 3556c.f.u/g) followed by Aspergillus flavus L-strain (17833c.f.u/g, 3722c.f.u/g) and Aspergillus flavus S-strain (22944c.f.u/g, 6056c.f.u/g), Fusarium had highest colony forming unit (36111c.f.u/g, 15667c.f.u//g). Weather and soil conditions and farming systems affect the ability of AflasafeTZ01 to compete against toxigenic strains. This experiment proves that suitable weather conditions are required on the timing of application of AflasafeTz01 because it is required to a monopoly within soil more than toxigenic Aspergillus species.