Drying groundnuts in usually a two-step process – first while the pods are still attached to the plants, and later when the pods have been stripped from the plants. Drying is a particularly risky time for Aspergillus infection.
When the plants are pulled and laid on the ground to dry, Aspergillus infection is more likely if the pods are left to lie on the dirt. Rainfall or excessive moisture on to the pods is another problem because of increased drying time.
