That kind of prediction is why MNUT is also good news for consumers. It can help protect them from aflatoxin, a potentially serious contaminant of peanuts that is produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus . Federal law prohibits selling peanuts for food unless they have less than 20 parts per billion aflatoxin. One part per billion is equal to a drop of water in 22,000 gallons. For many peanut farmers, some parts of their farm are irrigated, some not.
Rainwater is always best for the crop, and irrigation is costly.
But the fungus loves hot, dry weather. If a reading from MNUT predicts a high chance of aflatoxin contamination, growers won't mix their dryland and irrigated peanuts, since irrigation reduces the chance of contamination. You wouldn't mix those apples in a barrel with the good ones from the rest of your high-quality crop. Better irrigation and marketing are only part of the story. This program will help extension agents and farmers make better harvesting decisions.