The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Collaborative Research on Peanut Productivity and Mycotoxin Control, also known as the Peanut & Mycotoxin Innovation Lab or PMIL, is a research entity focused on improving peanut productivity and reducing mycotoxin contamination. The lab is in its second year of operation since being restructured in 2012. In the first year (FY2013), efforts were concentrated on establishing a new project portfolio based on an open competitive bid for proposals and appointing a new Management Team to be based at the Athens Campus of the University of Georgia.
The PMIL’s research program is structured into three main areas: Peanut Germplasm Development, Mycotoxin Detection and Peanut Nutritional Studies, and Peanut Value Chain Interventions. The Peanut Germplasm Development area focuses on improving peanut varieties through translational genomics and breeding. The Mycotoxin Detection and Peanut Nutritional Studies area aims to develop methods for detecting mycotoxins and studying their impact on human health. The Peanut Value Chain Interventions area focuses on improving peanut production, processing, and marketing in various countries.
In FY2014, the PMIL approved several research projects, including Project A1: Translational Genomics to Reduce Pre-harvest Aflatoxin Contamination of Peanut, Project A2: Silencing of Aflatoxin Synthesis through RNA Interference (RNAi) in Peanut Plants, and Project C1: Production to Consumption – Technologies to Improve Peanut Production, Processing, and Utilization in Haiti. The lab also established partnerships with various institutions and organizations to support its research and capacity development activities.
The PMIL’s research and management team worked closely with external advisory committees, program research meetings, and project monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure the effective implementation of its research projects. The lab also maintained a strong communication and information technology infrastructure to support its research and capacity development activities.
The PMIL’s research projects in FY2014 focused on improving peanut productivity and reducing mycotoxin contamination in various countries, including Haiti, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. The lab’s research findings and success stories are presented in the annual report, highlighting the impact of its research on improving peanut productivity and reducing mycotoxin contamination.
The PMIL’s annual report for FY2014 provides an overview of the lab’s research activities, partnerships, and capacity development initiatives. The report highlights the lab’s achievements in improving peanut productivity and reducing mycotoxin contamination, as well as its plans for future research and capacity development activities.