SAFECORN Operational Group: Climate Change and Aflatoxins: The Challenge for Corn Crops in Aragon
- Type Operational group
- Status In progress
- Execution 2024 -2027
- Assigned Budget 150.000,00 €
- Scope Autonómico
- Autonomous community Aragón
Identification of Critical Control Points (CCP):
- Identify at least one CCP in each of the following areas of corn management: Varieties and rotations, Soil management, Planting management, Fertilization management, Irrigation management, Crop evolution, Phytosanitary management, Harvest time, Storage prior to drying.
- Selection of Agronomic Prevention Tools: Identify at least one cultural tool (cycle, tasks, etc.) and one phytosanitary tool (biological, chemical, etc.) that demonstrate a lower impact of aflatoxins compared to the standard crop.
- Publication of a Manual of Good Agronomic Practices: Publish a manual of good agronomic practices for the management and prevention of aflatoxins in corn crops. Training and capacity building: Provide training on aflatoxin prevention and project status.
- Economic impact: avoid economic losses due to the presence of aflatoxins.
The project's main activities focus on preventing and controlling the health and economic risks associated with the increase in aflatoxins in corn, taking into account the climate change scenario:
- Determining Aflatoxin Incidence: o Selection of monitoring plots with emerging aflatoxin problems; o Field monitoring and agricultural management surveys. The influence of climate will be studied; o Mold and aflatoxin analysis will be carried out using samples from monitoring plots.
- Search for Alternative Tools for Aflatoxin Control: o Technological surveillance: An exhaustive search will be carried out for innovative tools and practices for aflatoxin control in the field. o Agronomic trials: Trials will be carried out in plots to test different tools for aflatoxin prevention and control. o Analysis of molds and aflatoxins in trials through samples from the test plots to analyze the presence of surface molds and determine the aflatoxin content.
- Study of Drying Conditions: o Selection of corn batches: Corn batches with and without aflatoxin contamination will be selected. o Simulated storage tests: Storage conditions prior to drying will be simulated in controlled chambers to study the evolution of aflatoxin content. o Aflatoxin analysis: Samples taken during storage tests will be analyzed.
The "Aflatoxins in Corn" project is being developed in a context marked by the following factors: Climate change and its impact on corn production. Rising temperatures and variable weather conditions, including droughts and storms, favor aflatoxin production. These factors are expected to increase the incidence of aflatoxins in corn in Southern Europe. Appearance of aflatoxins in corn crops in Aragon.
Until 2022, aflatoxin detections occurred during storage or in the finished product. However, since that year, they have been detected in the field, resulting in the rejection of entire batches. There is concern about shortages and the quality of corn. Water stress, irrigation restrictions, and pests are promoting the development of Aspergillus spp. and the generation of aflatoxins in the Ebro Valley. This, along with problems in other supply areas, creates a critical situation for companies like TEREOS and the other members of the Operational Group. They need to adapt to regulations and quality standards. Aflatoxins are highly toxic, which requires strict regulations on food and feed.
Companies like TEREOS have even stricter specifications than the official ones and do not purchase batches of corn contaminated with aflatoxins at levels higher than permitted. Focus on prevention and control in the field. Historically, aflatoxin contamination in Aragon has been considered a storage problem. Therefore, no tools have been developed for its prevention or control in the previous stages, that is, in the field.
The project seeks to confirm the agronomic factors that increase aflatoxins and establish Critical Control Points (CCPs) in the field, integrating them into a Manual of Good Agronomic Practices. Public-private collaboration and knowledge transfer. The project involves agricultural cooperatives, technology centers, and companies, seeking to channel research toward the demands of the agri-food sector and transfer technology and specialized knowledge.
The main objective is to identify critical management points and develop new agronomic tools to prevent and control aflatoxin contamination. The project seeks to create a Manual of Good Agronomic Practices to transfer knowledge to producers.
Activities include plot selection, field monitoring, mold and aflatoxin analysis, and agronomic trials, with a dissemination plan to share the results.
- Coordinator/entity name: Aragon Foundation for Innovation and Agri-Food Transfer (FITA)
- Postal address: Avda. Montañana, 930, 50059, Zaragoza
- Coordinator/entity email: info@fita-aragon.es
- Telephone: 976716976
- Fundación de Innovación y Transferencia Agroalimentaria de Aragón (FITA)
- UNIVERSIDAD DE ZARAGOZA (ciu@unizar.es)
- ARS ALENDI, S.A (arsalendi@alendi.es)
- TEREOS STARCH & SWEETENERS IBERIA, S.A.U.(eva.aragon@tereos.com)
- S. COOP. NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL ROSARIO (coopbiota@yahoo.es)
- S. COOP. ARAGONESA GALLICUM (clz@coopzuera.com)
- S. COOP. AGRÍCOLA ARAGONESA DEL EBRO (cadebro@agroveco.com)
- SERVICAMPO DEL EBRO, S.C.L.(servicampo@cadebro.com)
- S. COOP. DEL CAMPO SAN GREGORIO (coopina@coopina.com)
- Fundación de Innovación y Transferencia Agroalimentaria de Aragón (FITA)
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