| Abstract Detail
MSA - Ecology/Pathology Klich, Maren [1]. A greenhouse method for raising cotton susceptible to Aspergillus flavus infection. Aflatoxin, a highly carcinogenic secondary metabolite produced by Aspergillus flavus, is a chronic problem in seeds of cotton raised in the hot, dry, low desert areas of the southwestern USA. Genetically modified A. flavus resistant cotton cultivars are being developed for control of aflatoxin. A greenhouse system to test the efficacy of these cultivars for control of A. flavus infection of uninjured bolls is needed. To achieve this, a series of experiments have been conducted on non-transformed cotton plants to determine the conditions most conducive to A. flavus infection of uninjured plants. Conditions were developed to mimic western field grown cotton, and the plants were subjected to environmental factors known to increase A. flavus infection. These included: using soil-filled white PVC pipes (136 cm tall x 15 cm diam.) as planters which allow tap root development; a misting system to imitate dew; water stress; nighttime temperatures above 25 C; and, presentation of inoculum to the floral/subfloral nectaries with an artist’s brush to mimic wind-blown spores. This method yielded A. flavus infection of about 30% of the bolls, which is similar to the level reported in fields with high aflatoxin levels.
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1 - U.S.D.A./A.R.S./Southern Regional Research Center, 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd, New Orleans, LA, 70124, USA
Keywords:
aflatoxin.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Topics
Session: P2
Location: Event Tent/Cliff Lodge
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: P2EP010
Abstract ID:191 |
