Potential of botanicals and biocontrol agents on growth and aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus 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, Syzigium aromaticum (5 g/kg) showed complete inhibition of Aspergillus flavus growth and AFB1 production. Curcuma longa, Allium sativum and Ocimum sanctum 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 Rhodococcus erythropolis completely inhibited the AFB1 production at 25 ml/kg concentration. The other biocontrol agents, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma virens and Bacillus subtilis 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.