EFFECTS OF FERTILIZATION ON AFLATOXIN CONCENTRATION IN FRESH AND STORED GROUNDNUTS (ARACHIS HYPOGAEA L.)

Abstract

The study aimed at determining aflatoxin concentration in groundnuts cultivated using Yaralegume and Humate Green OK fertilizers at four (4) communities in the Lambusie-Karni District of the Upper West Region of Ghana. In all, twenty four (24) fresh and stored groundnut samples were analysed using standard fluorometric method and procedures. All groundnut samples tested contained detectable concentrations of total aflatoxins with two fresh samples producing concentrations of 3.59 and 4.58 ppb which were within the Limit of Quantification (LOQ). Fresh and stored groundnuts contained aflatoxins in the range of 3.59 - 13.21 ppb and 10.43 - 93.43 ppb respectively indicating significantly (p < 0.05) high concentrations after storage. Aflatoxin concentration in fresh groundnuts where fertilizer was not applied increased from 34.19-62.05 % after storage whilst it reduced significantly from 24.41 - 19.23 % and 37.40 - 18.72 % in fields where Yaralegume fertilizer only and a combination of Yaralegume and Green OK fertilizers were used. Two stored samples however recorded aflatoxin levels of 93.43 ppb and 52.92 ppb which were noted to be above Ghana Standards Authority maximum allowable limit of 20 ppb. The potential of reducing the concentration of aflatoxins in fresh and stored groundnuts cultivated using the Yaralegume fertilizer and a combination of Yaralegume and Humate Green OK fertilizers was observed.