Insect management to facilitate preharvest mycotoxin management

Many species of insects can facilitate the entry of mycotoxin-producing fungi to commodities such as cotton seed, maize, peanuts, and tree nuts. The mycotoxins most commonly associated with insect damage are aflatoxin and fumonisin. Insecticides will likely remain an important management tool, especially as predictive models for forecasting mycotoxigenic fungi or mycotoxins become available. Plants with high levels of resistance to insects that facilitate mycotoxins are likely to assist in mycotoxin management. Several studies now indicate Bt maize hybrids that express the protein throughout the plant can prevent fumonisin levels rising above guideline levels of 1-2 ppm when European corn borers (Ostrinia nubilalis) are the predominant insect pests.