AfloMan
AfloMan is a decision-support system for Australian peanut farmers to reduce on-farm aflatoxin contamination.
- Who this tool is for
- Questions this tool answers
- Aflatoxin - what is it?
- What this tool does
- Inputs
- Outputs
- Reliability
- History
- Support available
- Where to get it
- Cost
Read about our selection process for including tools on Climate Kelpie
Who this tool is for
Peanut farmers in Queensland.
Questions this tool answers
- What is the current status of aflatoxin infestation for my specific peanut paddock?
- Should I harvest my peanuts (and in what sequence) to reduce the risk of aflatoxin infection?
Aflatoxin – what is it?
Aflatoxin is a disease that reduces peanut quality and price. It is a major challenge for dryland production.
What this tool does
AfloMan assesses aflatoxin disease in peanuts using water balance modelling and temperature data.
The web-based aflatoxin monitoring program:
- provides up-to-date information on individual peanut fields
- assesses high-risk seasons, based on end-of-season drought and high soil-temperature conditions
Inputs
You upload your records of variety, planting date, soil type, daily rainfall and irrigation to AfloMan on the internet.
AfloMan uses your records to assess the risk of contamination and posts the results online.
Outputs
AfloMan creates simple graphs and figures showing the risk of contamination. Figure 1 is an example.
Figure 1. Sample AfloMan report
Reliability
AfloMan is accurate at the paddock scale.
It uses standard water balance algorithms and a disease algorithm based on local research.
History
AfloMan was developed by the Agricultural Production Systems Research Unit.
Since 2002, the AfloMan program has been funded by:
- Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries
- the Grains Research & Development Corporation
- the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
- the Peanut Company of Australia
Dean Holzworth and Dr Michael Robertson from CSIRO provided technical input and backup for the program.
Support available
Contact Dr Yash Chauhan, Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries, Kingaroy, if you need help using Afloman.
Email: yash.chauhan@dpi.qld.gov.au
Phone: 07 4160 0759
Where to get it
Regional predicted aflatoxin risks for the main peanut production regions are freely available at AfloMan and are published weekly in the South Burnett Times newspaper.
To find out the risk to your own farm, you need to complete a ‘Grower Establishment Form’ for each peanut paddock, providing details such as variety, planting date and soil type. Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries can help you complete the form and give you access so that you can regularly check the risks online.
Contact Dr Yash Chauhan, Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries, Kingaroy.
Email: yash.chauhan@dpi.qld.gov.au
Phone: 07 4160 0759
Cost
Free