Control of fungal infection is a persistent problem in agriculture. Fungal infection of crop plants can result in severe economic losses, either by hampering crop growth or yield, or by causing disease in other plants or animals. Such infections can occur prior to harvest or during storage. Some fungi produce toxic compounds that are of major concern to human health. For example, aflatoxin is a cancer-causing agent produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus. Aflatoxin contamination is not only a food safety concern, but is also an international trade issue because of strict low levels of aflatoxin contamination allowed by countries importing agricultural products.

The Plant Mycotoxin Research Unit (PMR) is integrating two of its core disciplines, natural products chemistry and molecular biology, to develop new approaches for understanding and preventing fungal contamination. By identifying naturally occuring plant compounds that interfere with fungal growth or toxin synthesis, and determining which fungal genes are affected by the application of these plant chemicals, we can protect agricultural commodities using specific, target-gene based strategies.