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Reduce contamination of figs by aflatoxin through control of A. flavus. The control of A. flavus will be attempted through dispersal of an atoxigenic strain, AF36, as a biocompetitor to displace toxigenic strains indigenous fig orchards. Also, different varieties of figs will be tested to examine their resistance to infection by aflatoxigenic A. flavus.
Apply AF36 to a fig orchard using infect wheat kernels. Leaf, fruit, and soil samples are collected during the period of typical commercial harvest and evaluated. Wheat infected with AF36 will be placed around trees irrigated by drip. Two weeks after the irrigation, wheat will be examined for A. flavus sporulation. Isolates of A. flavus from commercial fig orchards will be tested to determine if they are the atoxigenic AF36 strain. Collect fig samples of selection 6-38W from a commercial orchard and compare to Calimyrna and Conadria for level of infection by A. flavus. Three other selections (12-33E, 12-40E, and 23-41E) will also be evaluated if they bear enough fruit. (Formerly 5325-42000-031-01S - 09/04)