Description

Abstract: Yellow mold of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) seedlings caused by Aspergillusflavus was first observed duringMay 1984 in a commercial peanut farm in south Texas. The mold caused preemergence rotting of peanut seed and seedlings. On emerged seedlings the infection was largely restricted to cotyledons. The diseased plants were chloroi,’, stunted, and leaflets vere reduce in size with pointed tips and vein-clearing. Aflatoxins were found in cotyledons of infected seedlings but not in roots, hypocotyls, or leaves. A.flavuswas the predominant fungusin the seed lot planted by the grower. Six isolates of A. flavus isolated from the seed and diseased seedlings were pathogenic to peanut in greenhouse tests.