EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact
EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact
EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact
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SESSION 6: FUTURE CHALLENGE FOR EUROPE AND WORLDWIDE<br />
P138 - Occurrence <strong>of</strong> Fusarium spp., black<br />
Aspergillus spp., and associated mycotoxins in Italian<br />
maize in 2011<br />
A. Moretti 1 , A. F. Logrieco 1 , A. Susca 1 , M. Sulyok 2 , R. Krska 2 , G. Mulè 1 , G. P.<br />
Munkvold 3<br />
1 Institute <strong>of</strong> Sciences <strong>of</strong> Food Production, National Research Council, CNR-ISPA, Via Amendola<br />
122/O, 70126 Bari, Italy; 2 Center for Analytical Chemistry, Department <strong>of</strong> Agrobiotechnology (IFA-<br />
Tulln), University <strong>of</strong> Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Konrad Lorenzstr. 20, A-<br />
3430 Tulln, Austria; 3 Department <strong>of</strong> Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Iowa State University, 160<br />
Seed Science Ames, IA 50011, USA<br />
E-mail: munkvold@iastate.edu<br />
Infection by mycotoxigenic species <strong>of</strong> Fusarium is common in Italian maize, and<br />
unacceptable levels <strong>of</strong> associated mycotoxins can sometimes occur. Levels <strong>of</strong><br />
infection and mycotoxin contamination vary across locations and years, therefore<br />
monitoring these phenomena is an important ongoing activity. While fumonisin<br />
contamination has traditionally been attributed solely to species <strong>of</strong> Fusarium,<br />
recent evidence suggests that fungi in the genus Aspergillus (Section Nigri) may<br />
also contribute to fumonisins in maize. In 2011, 153 maize kernel samples were<br />
collected at harvest from fields in 7 Italian regions; incidence <strong>of</strong> fungal infection<br />
was evaluated by culturing a subsample <strong>of</strong> kernels. Tentative species<br />
identification by morphological characteristics was confirmed by sequencing part<br />
<strong>of</strong> the β-tubulin (βt) and calmodulin (caM) genes, while a LC/MS/MS multimycotoxin<br />
method was used to measure mycotoxins. Greater than 96% <strong>of</strong><br />
samples were contaminated by Fusarium species, ranging from 1% to 100% <strong>of</strong><br />
kernels, with a mean incidence per region ranging from 39.7% to 76.2%. Species<br />
<strong>of</strong> Aspergillus in section Nigri occurred in approximately 29% <strong>of</strong> samples, ranging<br />
from 1% to 33% <strong>of</strong> kernels with a mean incidence per region ranging from 0% to<br />
4.3%. In samples infected with Aspergillus section Nigri, there was an inverse<br />
relationship between levels <strong>of</strong> infection by Aspergillus spp. and levels <strong>of</strong> infection<br />
by Fusarium spp. The occurrence <strong>of</strong> FBs was very high: 144 samples contained<br />
FB1 with 74 samples ranging from 1 mg/kg to 181 mg/kg; 113 samples contained<br />
FB2 with 35 samples ranging from 1 mg/kg to 45.1 mg/kg; 114 samples contained<br />
FB3 with 12 samples ranging from 1 mg/kg to 10.3 mg/kg. Considering the high<br />
levels <strong>of</strong> contamination by fumonisin-producing Fusarium species, it appears that<br />
fumonisin contamination was primarily due to Fusarium spp., with little<br />
contribution by Aspergillus spp. Other Fusarium mycotoxins also were common,<br />
sometimes at high levels<br />
Keywords: Aspergillus, fumonisins, Fusarium, Italy, maize<br />
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