The National Corn Growers Association is pleased to announce that seven applicants have been awarded research funding through the Aflatoxin Mitigation Center for Excellence’s (AMCOE) Competitive Grants Program for 2021. The winners were selected by an evaluation committee comprised of technical experts, growers, state and national staff.
Dr. Anindya Chanda, Mycologics LLC – A non-pathogenic marine Vibrio as a novel biocontrol microbe against Aspergillus infections and aflatoxin contamination in corn
Dr. Zhi-Yuan Chen, Louisiana State University – Transgenic control of aflatoxin contamination in corn through host-induced gene silencing
Dr. Thomas Isakeit, Texas A&M University – Efficacy of an atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus application for management of aflatoxin in conjunction with a fertilizer application
Dr. Robert Kemerait, University of Georgia – Breeding drought-tolerant corn and elucidating the mechanism of corn-Aspergillus flavus interactions
Dr. Shien Lu, Mississippi State University – Development of biologically-based
approach for control of aflatoxin contamination in agricultural products
Dr. Xueyan Shan, Mississippi State University -- Enhancing breeding using corn
genome data and corn QTL near-isogenic lines for aflatoxin reduction
Dr. Wenwei Xu, Texas A&M University – Breeding and coordinated testing of aflatoxin resistant corn lines and hybrids for the Southern United States
Research through AMCOE focuses on six priority areas: biological control, transgenic modification, plant breeding, amelioration technology, best management strategies and improved testing procedures.
Developed by a consortium of southern state checkoff boards to provide a unified approach to funding projects that affect growers across the region, “This program is instrumental in moving us that much closer to unlocking the puzzle of how to mitigate, control and manage aflatoxin in the safest and most cost-effective ways,” noted Robyn Allscheid, AMCOE program manager and NCGA Director of Research and Productivity.
For more information on the AMCOE program, visit ncga.com/key-issues/research.
