Inhibition of aflatoxin production inAspergillus
flavus infected cotton bolls after treatment with neem (Azadirachta
indica) leaf extracts
In separate treatments, a spore
suspension ofA. flavus (control), an
aqueous leaf extract of the subtropical neem tree plus a spore suspension ofA. flavus, or an aqueous neem leaf extract
followed by anA. flavus spore
suspension were injected 48 hr later onto the surfaces of locks of developing
cotton bolls (30-day post anthesis). Thirteen days after the treatments, the
seeds from the locules were harvested and both fungal growth and aflatoxin
production were determined. Fungal growth was unaffected by the treatments but
the seeds from locules receiving both neem leaf extracts andA. flavus simultaneously exhibited 16%
inhibition of aflatoxin production, while the seeds in locules receivingA. flavus spores 48 hr after neem extract
was added exhibited >98% inhibition in aflatoxin production. Neem leaf
extracts contain an aflatoxin inhibiting factor, however, the neem leaf extract
may need to translocate from the fibrous locule surface to the seed, prior to
the fungal inoculation, for maximal effect.
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