Effect of Selected Fungicides in the Control of Aflatoxin-producing Fungi in Pre-harvest Maize (Zea mays L) in Anambra State

Contamination of maize by toxigenic fungi is the process that occur yet in the field. Aflatoxin contamination in several foodstuffs has been a recurrent problem. This study is aimed to evaluate the effect of selected fungicides in the control of aflatoxin-producing fungi affecting growth in pre-harvest maize (Zea mays L). Maize seeds treated with organic and synthetic fungicides were sown immediately after land preparation comprising of 13 plots. Five plants each were randomly selected from 13 plots for collecting data for 12 weeks at 2 week interval. Effect of organic and synthetic fungicide in the control of aflatoxin production on the growth parameters of maize showed that maize treated with Azadirachta indica recorded significant growth in the leaf area for all treatments for weeks 8, 10 and 12 while at week 6, maize treated with Cymbopogon citratus showed significant growth in the leaf area at 0.05% for TLg25%, TLg75% and TLg100%. Maize treated with synthetic fungicide (mancozeeb) showed significant growth in the leaf area for weeks 8, 10, 12 in all treatments. Maize treated with Azadirachta indica recorded a significant difference in the plant height for week 4, 10 and 12 in all treatments. For maize treated with Cympobogon citratus, weeks 2 and 8 recorded no significant difference in the plant height but showed a significant growth in the plant height at weeks 4 and 12 (for all treatments) while weeks 6 and 10 recorded significant growth in the plant height for some of the treatments. Maize treated with synthetic fungicide showed significant growth in the plant height for weeks 4, 10 and 12. Fungal isolates identified in this study were: Aspergillus spp. Fusarium spp. and Penicillium spp., with Aspergillus spp. having the highest frequency of occurrence of 4 in treatments TAi100%, TLg75%. The result showed that both organic and synthetic fungicide were effective in the control of aflatoxin-producing fungi on the maize yield but was more effective with the organic fungicide. The use of Azadirachta indica and Cymbopogon citratus is recommended as a means of biofungicides to control aflatoxin-producing fungi in maize.