This archive report was first published on 16 November 2019.
On November 16, 2019, the threat of aflatoxin in maize production in Kenya was brought to the forefront. Aflatoxin, a fungal polyketide secondary metabolite, poses a significant threat to maize production in Kenya.
Aflatoxin is caused by two main fungi: Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. These fungi produce four types of aflatoxins: aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and G2. Aflatoxin B1 is the most common and can be carcinogenic if the toxicity level exceeds the set thresholds.
Maize is considered one of the best hosts of the fungi. To combat this issue, experts recommend adopting Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) at the field level. This includes deep ploughing, removal of crop debris, and crop rotation to reduce the inoculum level.
Additionally, farmers can apply Aflasafe, a natural biocontrol product developed by the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro). Aflasafe contains four atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus strains that outcompete toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus when applied two to three weeks before flowering.
However, there has not been adequate farmers' education on the benefits of using Aflasafe, which reduces incidence of aflatoxin by over 80 per cent. To address this issue, millers need to work with universities and Kalro to support demand-driven research on aflatoxin. Plant breeders can also contribute by developing varieties that are resistant to Aspergillus flavus.
Furthermore, Kalro needs to use environmental data for the study of Aspergillus flavus to demonstrate the relationship between the fungus and environmental variables. This relationship can be used to forecast the disease and inform pre-harvest management strategies.
Finally, farmers need to adopt proper storage practices to prevent the growth of Aspergillus flavus. This includes checking the moisture content of their produce and drying the kernels before selling it to the millers.
