Project Number: 5325-42000-031-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Feb 06, 2001
End Date: Feb 05, 2006

Objective:
Reduce mycotoxin contamination of Agricultural commodities, expecially tree nuts, by minimizing insect feeding-damage and microorganism infection that leads to infection by mycotoxigenic fungi.

Approach:
Develop methods to control insect pests and toxic fungi of tree nuts. Insects include navel orangeworm, codling moth and peach twig borer. Feeding damage by these insects leads to infection by aflatoxigenic aspergilli. Control methods for linsects are to be environmentally benign and employ semiochemicals to disrupt insect behavior. Control of toxic fungi focuses on biological control using competitive or antagonistic microorganisms. These microorganisims include either yeasts or bacteria that can be mass -produced are effectively utilized in a variety of pre-or post harvest environments. Portion of 5325-42000-033-00D combined into this project (7/04).

Project Team

Campbell, Bruce Palumbo, Jeffrey Hua, Sui Sheng - Sylvia Roitman, James Light, Douglas - Doug

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003   FY 2002   FY 2001

Related National Programs

Food Safety, (animal and plant products) (108)

Related Projects

REDUCTION OF ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS POPULATIONS BY YEASTS IN PISTACHIO ORCHARDS TO CONTROL AFLATOXIN    APPLICATION OF YEAST TO CONTROL AFLATOXIN IN TREE-NUTS AND CORN