Using Wood Vinegar in Enhancing Peanut Yield and in Controlling the Contamination of Aflatoxin Producing Fungus

Abstract

Wood vinegar or pyroligneous acid is a brown transparent liquid that produced by the condensation of the smoke from the process of producing charcoal. Wood vinegar consists mainly of water soluble compounds, over 200 kinds. The main components are organic acids, phenolic, alkone, alcohol and ester compounds with acetic acid being a main component. Wood vinegar has been used in agriculture as fertilizer, insect repellent or organic fungicide. The effect of wood vinegar on peanut yield and on the contamination of aflatoxin producing fungus was investigated in five growing seasons. Wood vinegar at 20 times dilution was used as soil application at 10 days before planting. The foliar application of wood vineagr at the dilution of 200, 300 or 500 times was applied at two-week interval to peanut, 25 days after planting until 15 days before harvest. Two types of peanut, largeseeded type and small-seeded type peanut were used. The results indicated that wood vinegar increased dry weight accumulation of peanut. The responses were different among the two types of peanut. Wood vinegar did not significantly increase yield but shelling percentage was slightly increased. Wood vinegar when used as soil application once before planting did not effectively control the incidence of soil fungus, Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and aflatoxin contamination in peanut seed.