While occasionally successful, too often the result is a larger lot of contaminated corn. Efforts to separate and work with contaminated lots through screening or alternative usage will give the most consistent and desirable results in marketing contaminated corn. Screening removes broken kernels which often contain a high percentage of the aflatoxin contamination. Screening has been coupled with the use of vibrator or gravity tables which remove any light-weight, infected kernels and thus further reduce the aflatoxin concentration in food grade corn. Management Practices to Minimize Aflatoxin in Peanuts Planting and During the Season A. flavus is common soil fungus and may increase in population on certain crop residues including peanuts.
Fungal populations increase on certain soils where peanuts follow peanuts.
Using crops other than peanuts or corn on these problem fields helps reduce the population of the fungus in the soil. Peanut or corn residue on the soil surface favor the increase of the organism. Deep burial of crop residue is recommended. Control pod damaging insects such as lesser cornstalk borer. Damage by this insect may increase incidence and detection of this problem.