title: The vegetative compatibility group to which the US biocontrol agent Aspergillus flavus AF36 belongs is also endemic to Mexico.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess frequencies of the Aspergillus flavus atoxigenic vegetative compatibility group (VCG) YV36, to which the biocontrol agent AF36 belongs, in maize-growing regions of Mexico.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over 3500 A. flavus isolates recovered from maize agroecosystems in four states of Mexico during 2005 through 2008 were subjected to vegetative compatibility analyses based on nitrate nonutilizing mutants. Results revealed that 59 (1·6%) isolates belong to VCG YV36. All 59 isolates had the MAT1-2 idiomorph at the mating-type locus and the single nucleotide polymorphism in the polyketide synthase gene that confers atoxigenicity. Additional degradation of the aflatoxin gene cluster was detected in three isolates. Microsatellite loci analyses revealed low levels of genetic diversity and no linkage disequilibrium within VCG YV36.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The VCG to which the biocontrol agent AF36 belongs, YV36, is also native to Mexico. The North American Free Trade Agreement should facilitate adoption of AF36 for use by Mexico in aflatoxin prevention programs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An USEPA registered biocontrol agent effective at preventing aflatoxin contamination of crops in the US, is also native to Mexico. This should facilitate the path to registration of AF36 as the first biopesticide for aflatoxin mitigation of maize in Mexico. Economic and health benefits to the population of Mexico should result once aflatoxin mitigation programs based on AF36 applications are implemented.
authors.affiliation: School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortega-Beltran
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Green Bay, WI, USA.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Grubisha
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Callicott
authors.affiliation: USDA-ARS, School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cotty
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000382:microbiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D008800:Mexico; D005810:Multigene Family; D063148:Plant Dispersal; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D048630:Polyketide Synthases
keywords: North American Free Trade Agreement; atoxigenic; biopesticide registration; gene cluster degeneration; linkage disequilibrium; microsatellite loci; vegetative compatibility