Project Number: 6435-42000-020-04
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 01, 2004
End Date: Jul 31, 2009

Objective:
Techniques will be developed and implemented to assess variability among cotton cultivars in vulnerability to aflatoxin contamination during the second phase of contamination and to provide improved understanding of relationships between wetting events and temperature after boll maturation and extent of contamination.

Approach:
Experience with irrigation and misting systems, environmental monitoring, and cotton infection by fungal pathogens will be used to develop a facility and techniques will be developed at the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center that will permit simulation of late season rain events that typically result in widespread contamination. The relationship of contamination to environmental parameters will be assessed. These parameters will include humidity, temperature, and rainfall duration and frequency on the mature crop. Specific questions about the relative susceptibility of cultivars with varying characteristics (i.e. seed coat characteristics and seed composition) will be addressed. Current and past cultivars will be contrasted to assess the progression of crop vulnerability to contamination and to encourage reduced vulnerability in breeding programs.