Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

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Coconut Aspergillus mould (233)

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Photo 1. Aspergillus flavus sporulating on copra.

Photo 2. Aspergillus flavus sporulating on seed of peanut inside damaged pods.

Photo 3. Maize cob with infected kernels of Aspergillus flavus.

Photo 4. Close up of maize kernels to show sporulating colonies of Aspergillus flavus.

Summary

• Worldwide distribution. In warm temperate and tropical countries. On many hosts, growing on dead organic matter, both plant and animal. Important as a post-harvest mould of maize, peanut and copra. An important disease, because of its aflatoxin causing severe diseases in livestock and humans.
• Worse: (i) moisture stress >20 days before harvest; (ii) crop is over-mature; (iii) there is insect damage; (iv) moisture content >10%, and stored at high humidity.
• Cultural control: spacing (30 plants/m²); adequate nutrition; avoid end-of-season drought (if possible irrigate); for peanut - before or at harvest: (i) remove dead plants;(ii) check pod colours for correct time (they should have turned pink); (iii) invert plants after harvest and dry for 3-5 days; dry to 8%; for maize - dry to 13-15%; for copra - dry to 5-7% (until it is brittle and breaks easily); for all crops - new bags, and airy, dry, insect-proof store. Rotate crops, leaving a 3-4-year interval between crops of maize or peanuts planted on the same land.
• Chemical control: seed – mancozeb; control insects during growth of the crop, and during storage.

Common Name

Copra mould, Aspergillus ear rot (of maize), yellow mould of peanut, storage rot of groundnut

Scientific Name

Aspergillus flavus

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