Potential of botanicals and biocontrol agents on growth and aflatoxin production by Aspergillusflavus infecting rice grains

The potential of certain plant extracts and biocontrol agents for the reduction of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in stored rice was investigated. Among the plant extracts tested, Syzigiumaromaticum (5 g/kg) showed complete inhibition of Aspergillusflavus growth and AFB1 production. Curcumalonga, Alliumsativum and Ocimumsanctum also effectively inhibited the A.flavus growth (65–78%) and AFB1 production (72.2–85.7%) at 5 g/kg concentration. Among the biocontrol agents, culture filtrate of Rhodococcuserythropolis completely inhibited the AFB1 production at 25 ml/kg concentration. The other biocontrol agents, Pseudomonasfluorescens, Trichodermavirens and Bacillussubtilis showed 93%, 80% and 68% reduction of A.flavus growth and 83.7%, 72.2% and 58% reduction of AFB1 at 200 ml/kg, respectively.