Aflatoxin reported in southeastern Nebraska, USA
Date: 18 October 2007

A plant pathologist in Nebraska says aflatoxin in corn was reported in three southeastern counties in late September and early October. Tamra Jackson, with the University of Nebraska Extension, says they've had reports from producers whose corn was rejected by grain elevators in Johnson, Cass and Nemaha counties, that use mostly black light testing. Several loads that came through the Lincoln grain inspection service, which uses analytical testing, were positive for elevated concentrations of the mold.

"We have aspergillus that is ubiquitous. It's in all of our fields. Aspergillus is the fungus that produces the mycotoxin aflatoxin."

Jackson says, at this time, though, aflatoxin mold is not a widespread problem in the state. She says the fungus is quite opportunistic and typically occurs when there's drought.

"We had quite a bit of drought in our eastern part of the state where we lack irrigation in some of those non-irrigated fields."

Aflatoxin has been reported recently in corn harvested in one northwest Iowa county and in southeastern South Dakota, areas that also experienced drought in the growing season.

Reference
http://www.brownfieldnetwork.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=B3C0E337-969B-1E7B-
C18886235E37A740

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