Aflatoxin is a carcinogenic fungus that affects many living things including crops, animals, and humans. Aflatoxin spores are carried by wind, insects, and many other things, to the developing kernels. They infect the kernels by germinating on the silks and growing into the developing kernels. The fungus usually appears as a yellow-green or brownish spore mass and occurs most frequently on the tips of the ears. Depending on the amount of fungus in the crop, the grain may be used for food or feed. Otherwise, the corn would have to be destroyed (Stack).

The chance of animals being affected by aflatoxin varies depending on species, age, sex, and nutrition. Some of the diseases that aflatoxin has been known to cause in animals are liver damage, decreased milk and egg production, and immunity suppression

Moisture in the storage bins needs to be kept below 12% to stop the development of aflatoxin. Insect problems need to be kept to a minimum. Cooling the grain with outside air when temperatures permit is beneficial in stopping the development of insect infestations (Lance, "Managing Aflatoxin Part 3" 1).

Humans are exposed to aflatoxins by eating foods with products of fungal growth. Exposure is difficult to avoid because most fungal growth in foods is not easy to prevent. Acute aflatoxicosis in humans has been reported from many parts of the world, namely the Third World Countries, like Taiwan, Uganda, and India. The disease is characterized by vomiting, abdominal pain, pulmonary edema, convulsions, coma, and death. The conditions that increase the likelihood of this disease include "limited availability of food, environmental conditions that favor fungal development in crops, and lack of regulatory systems for aflatoxin monitoring and control" (Devero 3). An example of a human who was infected with Aflatoxin is a 41-year-old man with leukemia. He received an aflatoxin infection during remission therapy. The man died due to lesions in the lungs, kidneys, brain, thyroid gland, and skin (Devero 3).

Although aflatoxin is a naturally occurring fungus, there are many ways to slow down or even stop the growth of it. Before the crops are harvested, there are precautions that farmers can take to try to restrain the likelihood of aflatoxin growth. According to recent studies, corn that has tight shuck coverage and ears that grow in a downward position are less likely to be infected by aflatoxin and other fungi. Corn with open shucks are more accessible to insect feeding and outside moisture introduction, and tend to be affected more by aflatoxin. Hard grain texture can also help protect against environmental effects (Lance, "Managing Aflatoxin Part 2" 1).

The last precaution that farmers can take before the crop is harvested is water management. The lack of moisture is the most important stress factor that affects the growth of aflatoxin in corn. Moisture stress is for the most part due to insufficient rainfall or high temperatures. Farmers with a limited irrigation system should focus their water use to coincide with the period of peak water use by the plant.

In conclusion,

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