Each year the U.S. Department of Agriculture funds multi-crop aflatoxin pre-harvest research. These competitive research grants are administered through the Agricultural Research Service, and are split between four primary impacted crops, corn, cotton, peanuts, and tree nuts.
As a member of the Aflatoxin Working Group, NCGA lobbies for continuation of Federal appropriations for this vital research. In addition, NCGA assists USDA and the other commodity groups in prioritizing research.
Control of aflatoxin contamination in corn with Afla-Guard
Krackowsky/Williams
GA/MS
Evaluation of exotic maize germplasm for resistance to aflatoxin contamination
Luo/Coy
GA
Gene expression profiles of corn developing kernels responding to drought stress and A. flavus infection using maize microarray and identification of markers/genes for resistance to preharvest aflatoxin contamination
Moore et al.
LA/MS
Searching for new resistance and control measures of aflatoxin in corn
Payne
NC
Development of novel markers of resistance to aflatoxin accumulation in maize
Rooney et al.
TX
Breeding corn germplasm to reduce aflatoxin contamination
White
IL
Creation of commercially usable corn inbreds and hybrids with low aflatoxin concentration in grain
Wilkinson/Brooks
Molecular marker-assisted selection for resistance to aflatoxin in maize
Xu
TX
Breeding multiple stress tolerant corn to reduce aflatoxin contamination
Wu
PA
Modeling the adverse impact of aflatoxin Contamination to the economics of U.S. agriculture