Hot, dry weather has been a cause for concern for corn growers across the South. Not only can the high temperatures and lack of rainfall reduce corn yields, but they can also create conditions favorable for the development of Aspergillus flavus, a fungus whose byproducts can include aflatoxin.

Very low levels of aflatoxin can render corn unfit for animal and ethanol uses.

One of the promising new tools for waging war on aflatoxin is a product developed by the USDA Agricultural Research Service for use in peanuts. Syngenta has acquired the license for Afla-Guard and has begun the process of introducing it in corn.

Dave Ross, technical brand manager for Afla-Guard and plant growth regulators for Syngenta, discussed the new product in this video shot at the recent Southern Field Crop Tours conducted by Syngenta in central and south Louisiana.