Aflatoxigenic Fungi: Its Impact on Plant, Animal and Human Health

Aflatoxigenic fungi, primarily belonging to the Aspergillus genus (A. flavus, A. parasiticus), are responsible for producing aflatoxins—highly toxic and carcinogenic secondary metabolites. These fungi pose significant risks to plant health, animal health, and human well-being due to their widespread contamination of food and feed. Aflatoxigenic fungi impact plants by causing diseases, and yield loss leads to economic loss and contamination. In connection with animals, aflatoxigenic fungi create toxicity in livestock, contamination of animal products, mortality, and economic loss. Finally, concerning humans, aflatoxigenic fungi lead to acute toxicity, carcinogenic effects, immune suppression, and nutritional risk.

Features:

• Provides a systemic review of the recent developments in aflatoxigenic fungi on various biotic organisms
• Includes an overview of the impact of aflatoxins on various plants and on the agricultural economy
• Describes the role of aflatoxins in human health, including infants and in cancer
• Contains special emphasis on the control of aflatoxigenic fungi by nanomaterials and plant bioactive components
• Discusses the detection of aflatoxigenic fungi by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)

Dr. A. Sankara Narayanan has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, GSFC University, Vadodara of Gujarat state, India since July 2024. His current research focus is on microbiome studies, fermented food products, and environmental microbiology. He has published 20 books with different international publishers, 70 chapters, and 80 research articles in international and national journals of repute, guided 5 PhDs, 16 MPhil scholars, and operated 5 funded projects in microbiology. From 2002 to 2015, he worked as an Assistant Professor and Head, Department of Microbiology, K.S.R. College of Arts and Science, Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu, and from August 2015 to May 2021 he was associated with Uka Tarsadia University, Surat, Gujarat, India. From June 2021 to June 2024 he worked as an Associate Professor and Head in the Department of Life Sciences, Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence (SSSUHE), Kalaburagi, India. He has been awarded the Indian Academy of Sciences (IASc), National Academy of Sciences (NAS), and the National Academy of Sciences (TNAS) sponsored summer research fellowship for young teachers consecutively for three years, and his name is included as a Mentor in the DST-Mentors/Resource persons for summer/winter camps and other INSPIRE initiatives, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi. He is a grant reviewer for the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (BSAC), UK. He is an active member of the editorial boards of various national and international journals. He is a Doctoral Committee member, Board of Study member in Microbiology in various colleges and universities in India, and a reviewer for many reputed international journals. One of his edited books received the Outstanding Academic Title (OAT) Award from an international publisher in 2020. This OAT Award represents the highest caliber of scholarly titles and overall excellence in presentation and importance relative to other literature in the field. His name was included in the World Scientists and University Rankings for 2023; this ranking list is released by AD Scientific Index.

Dr. S. Gomathi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India. She has approximately 15 years of experience in teaching and research. Her area of specialization is mycology, medicinal plant diversity, and antifungal activity studies.

She has published more than 25 papers in internationally reputed journals and 15 chapters in books from internationally reputed publishers. She has guided 10 MPhil and 2 PhD scholars, and PhD scholars are working under her guidance now at Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India. She is involved in the organization of various seminars and workshops, and acts as a resource person and participant in various workshops to enhance her research skills. She has filed and published two Indian patents. She is a life member of various professional and scientific bodies. She has participated in various orientation programs and shared her expertise with young students as a resource person.

Dr. V. Ambikapathy is an Associate Professor and Head, Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India. He has 29 years of experience in teaching and research. He has specialized in the fields of mycology and plant pathology. He has visited the Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia. He received the INSA visiting scientist fellow award and has filed two patents.

He has deposited 92 gene sequences in GenBank, conducted 4 metagenome bioprojects, and maintains more than 500 microbial cultures in his laboratory. He is a reviewer for reputed journals and a doctoral committee member for more than 50 research scholars working at Bharathidasan University. He has published 149 research and review articles, 8 books, and 27 book chapters. He has guided 21 PhD scholars, 32 MPhil scholars, and organized several symposia, seminars, workshops, DST-INSPIRE programs for "plus one" students, YSSP programs, and so on. Dr Ambikapathy has conducted more than 50 training programs on edible mushroom cultivation technology for the welfare of women under a self-help group scheme. He has received several grants from various Indian funding agencies such as UGC-SERO, DST-INSPIRE, NMPB, UGC, and Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TNSCST), India.

Prof. A. Panneerselvam, D.Sc., is an Associate Professor and Head (Retd), Department of Botany and Microbiology, A.V.V.M. Sri Pushpam College (Autonomous), Poondi, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu, India. He has 40 years of experience in teaching and research. His areas of specialization are mycology, plant pathology, and actinobacteriology. He has visited the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technical University, TEMSEK Laboratory Singapore, Malaysian Agricultural University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Bangkok, Udayana University, Bali, Indonesia, the Institute of Fundamental and Applied Research, National Research University (TIIAME), Tashkent, Uzbekistan and also national-level institutes in India.

He has received 15 awards including INSA visiting fellowship, New Delhi; Member of Research Board of Advisors; Excellent Faculty award in Botany; Man of Year Commemorative Model; Life Time Achievement Award 2022; Senior Scientist Award 2023; and the MSI Fellow Award 2024. He has deposited 191 nucleotide sequences in GenBank, conducted 4 metagenome bioprojects, and maintains more than 500 microbial cultures in his laboratory. He is a reviewer for reputed journals and a doctoral committee member for 127 research scholars working at Bharathidasan University. He has published 476 research papers and review articles, 23 popular articles, and chapters in more than 12 books. He has guided 43 PhD scholars, 67 MPhil scholars, and organized several symposia, seminars, workshops, DST-INSPIRE programs for "plus one" students, the YSSP program, and so on. He has conducted more than 100 training programs on edible mushroom cultivation technology for the welfare of women under a self-help group scheme, Dissemination of Innovative Technology (DIT). He has received grants from various funding agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology (TNSCST), the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), and the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). He is a life member of various academic bodies and an editorial board member of reputed journals. He trained a women's self-help group on edible mushroom cultivation technology under various schemes. He has been awarded a D.Sc. degree by the Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu of India.