scholarly journals Comparative Study on the Incidence of Aspergillus flavus in Farmer’s Field and Stored Maize (Zea mays) Seed in Northern Region of Ghana

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Elias Nortaa Kunedeb Sowley ◽  
Frederick Kankam ◽  
Edmond Tawiah
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Maize Seed ◽  
Fusarium Spp ◽  
Maize Seeds ◽  
Tamale Metropolis ◽  
Total Fungi ◽  
Storage Structures

Aspergillus flavus is predominant among other fungi species responsible for aflatoxin contamination of crops on the field and in storage. A study was conducted to determine the incidence of Aspergillus flavus in maize seeds from various sources. Sixty (60) maize seed samples were collected from farmers and marketers from different storage structures within Tamale metropolis, Savelugu and Tolon districts,northern region of Ghana. Three different fungi species were isolated from the maize samples. These were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium spp. Total fungi species differed significantly. Tamale metropolis recorded the least occurrence of fungi species. Aspergillus flavus recorded varied occurrences across all three districts with the highest incidence recorded in Savelugu (42%). Aspergillus flavus was found predominant in maize from the markets than maize from the farmers. The incidences of Aspergillus flavus varied with the method of storage. Storage using cocoa sack recorded the highest incidence (69%), with the lowest (13%) in hanging shed. Aspergillus flavus was however found to be associated with maize from all three districts studied. Proper drying and use of proper storage structures are recommended as a way of combating the high incidences of Aspergillus flavus.

IMPACT OF HUSK TYPE AND SPECIES OF INFESTING INSECTS ON AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION IN PREHARVEST CORN AT TIFTON, GEORGIA

1987 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. W. McMillian ◽  
N. W. Widstrom ◽  
D. M. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Spodoptera Frugiperda ◽  
Ostrinia Nubilalis ◽  
Zea Mays L ◽  
Heliothis Zea ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Sitophilus Zeamais ◽  
Corn Borers ◽  
Dent Corn

The use of plants that resist insects has been suggested as a potential means of reducing aflatoxin contamination in some crops. Dent corn, Zea mays L., germplasm possessing the characteristic of a relatively tight, complete husk cover and germplasm possessing the characteristic of a relatively loose, incomplete husk cover on the ear were evaluated for 3 years at Tifton, GA, for aflatoxin contamination. In two of the three test years, corn ears with tight, complete husk cover sustained significantly lower mean amounts of aflatoxin than ears with loose, incomplete husk cover following artificial inoculation with Aspergillus flavus Link spores. Ears hand-infested with maize weevils, Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky), sustained significantly higher amounts of aflatoxin (329 ng·g−1) than ears infested with fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), (80 ng·g−1), European corn borers, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), (71 ng·g−1), or corn earworms Heliothis zea (Boddie) (60 ng·g−1). Overall, ears in the check (inoculated with A. flavus only) sustained significantly lower aflatoxin (37 ng·g−1) amounts than ears from plots supplemented with insects. Although insects were not applied in the check plots, some damage was observed on the ears.

Aflatoxin Contamination in Corn Differs Among Inoculation Techniques

2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Arnold Bruns ◽  
Hamed K. Abbas
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Zea Mays L ◽  
Clay Soil ◽  
Solid Material ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Silty Clay ◽  
Block Designs ◽  
Inoculation Techniques ◽  
Silty Clay Soil

Aflatoxin research in corn (Zea mays L.) usually requires application of inoculum of Aspergillus flavus to soil or plant ears. The pin-bar vs. side-needle or spray vs. solid material inoculations using A. flavus isolate F3W4 (NRRL 30798) were compared in 2004, 2006, and 2007 using three hybrids in two irrigated experiments each year at Stoneville, MS. Both were planted on a silty clay soil in randomized complete block designs with four replications of treatments. Mature ears inoculated by the pin-bar, side-needle, or spray methods were analyzed for aflatoxin. Ears from controls and solid material inoculum treatments were sampled for analysis at plot harvest. Pin-bar inoculation had more aflatoxin in 2004 (551.9 ng/g) and 2006 (305.8 ng/g) than side-needle inoculation (342.2 ng/g and 151.1 ng/g for 2004 and 2006, respectively), which was greater than controls (76.8 ng/g and 21.6 ng/g for 2004 and 2006, respectively). Solid material inoculation did not differ in aflatoxin from controls. Spraying produced the most aflatoxin (344.1 ng/g) only in 2004. Aflatoxin was low in 2007 when timely rainfall, irrigation, and no temperatures ≥ 35°C resulted in only the pin-bar (20.8 ng/g) and solid material (20.6 ng/g) treatments having > 2.0 ng/g of aflatoxin. Accepted for publication 26 March 2010. Published 1 June 2010.

Evaluation of maize seed treatments for Pratylenchus zeae control

Nematology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 667-670
Author(s):  
Pedro Marcus de Souza Confort ◽  
Mário M. Inomoto
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Seed Treatment ◽  
Root Mass ◽  
Maize Seed ◽  
Seed Treatments ◽  
Maize Hybrid ◽  
Maize Seeds ◽  
The One ◽  
Fourth Experiment ◽  
Pratylenchus Zeae

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of maize (Zea mays) seed treatments for the control of Pratylenchus zeae under glasshouse conditions. Seeds of the maize hybrid DKB390 treated with thiametoxam, thiametoxam + abamectin and imidacloprid + thiodicarb were used as treatments. The treated maize seeds were sown in plastic cups containing soil inoculated with 200 nematodes (juveniles and females). Two of the four experiments that were done were evaluated at 60 and 90 days after sowing (DAS). The first experiment was evaluated 30, 60 and 90 DAS, and the fourth experiment only at 90 DAS. Fresh root mass and total nematodes extracted and counted from roots of each plant were used as the assessment criteria. All seed treatments tested showed a degree of efficacy in reducing the reproduction rates of P. zeae under glasshouse conditions. The imidacloprid + thiodicarb treatment showed consistent results in all replications of all four experiments, often being the one resulting in the lowest P. zeae density. The thiametoxam + abamectin treatment was also effective in reducing nematode numbers and differed significantly from the control treatments for all four experiments. Thiametoxam used on its own as a seed treatment proved to be as effective as the mixture with abamectin in two of the four experiments and does not provide consistent results in terms of reducing P. zeae population levels.

Spatial variability of Aspergillus flavus soil populations under different crops and corn grain colonization and aflatoxins

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (12) ◽  
pp. 1768-1775 ◽  
Author(s):  
H K Abbas ◽  
R M Zablotowicz ◽  
M A Locke
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Spatial Structure ◽  
Spatial Variability ◽  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Mississippi Delta ◽  
Aflatoxin Production ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Moderate Degree ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Corn Kernels

Aflatoxin contamination in corn caused by Aspergillus flavus Link is a serious constraint on economical corn (Zea mays L.) production in the Mississippi Delta. The ecology of A. flavus was evaluated in a 3-year study assessing the spatial variability of soil populations of A. flavus in a Mississippi Delta field under different crops. A 1.07-ha section of the field was laid out in 126 9.2-m2 plots, and soil was sampled in May 2000, March 2001, and April 2002. Aspergillus flavus populations were determined by plating on selective media, and A. flavus colonization was assessed in corn during 2000. Aspergillus flavus populations in soil were significantly (P < 0.01 level) influenced by previous crop. The highest propagule density (794 cfu·g–1) was found following the corn crop in 2001 versus 251 cfu·g–1 soil in 2000 following cotton and 457 cfu·g–1 following wheat in 2002. Aspergillus flavus populations in 2001 and 2002 exhibited a moderate degree of spatial structure, described by spherical and exponential models, respectively, but populations in 2000 exhibited little spatial structure. Colonization of corn kernels by A. flavus in 2000 ranged from 0% to 100% (mean = 15% colonized kernels), and aflatoxin levels ranged from 0 to 1590 ppb (mean = 57 ppb). Aflatoxin levels were randomly distributed in the field and not correlated with A. flavus colonization. Aflatoxin production was found in 43% to 59% of A. flavus soil isolates with the highest incidence in soil populations following corn in 2001. However, 84% of A. flavus isolated from corn kernels produced aflatoxin. Results indicate that within a single field there was a wide range of A. flavus soil propagule densities varying in potential to produce aflatoxin.Key words: Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxins, soil, corn (Zea mays), cotton, wheat, spatial variability.

scholarly journals Incidence of fungi and aflatoxin contamination of maize in Tolon-Kumbungu district of Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-202
Author(s):  
E.K. Aklaku ◽  
E.N.K. Sowley ◽  
M. Ofosu
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Agar Plate ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Rapid Screening ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
Aflatoxigenic Fungi ◽  
Sub Saharan

Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important staple food crop and a source of income to farmers, as well as foreign exchange earner in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Its production is hampered by fungal diseases, which also cause contamination with mycotoxins, especially aflatoxin and its associated health hazards. This study sought to isolate and identify aflatoxigenic fungi, as well as detect the presence of Aflatoxin B1 (AfB1) in maize samples obtained from farmers in the Tolon-Kumbungu district in the northern region of Ghana. Twenty farming communities were randomly selected for the study in consultation with the district office of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA). Samples were collected from 200 randomly selected maize farmers by the composite sampling technique, for isolation of aflatoxigenic fungi by the agar plate method and the detection of aflatoxin. Aflatoxin was detected in maize samples with the Black light, rapid screening and immunoassay methods. Aspergillus flavus had the highest percentage of occurrence (63.7%); followed by A. niger (16.5%), Rhizopus stolonifer (9.3%), Penicillium spp. (6.9%) and Fusarium oxysporum (3.7%). Farm samples had more aflatoxin than those from stores and markets. Samples of maize from farms in Gbirimani community had the highest aflatoxin contamination of +60 ppb. Concentrations of Afb1 at or above +20 ppb were recorded in all the communities, except in Tinguli. Apart from Voggu, all market samples were free from aflatoxin contamination. Key words: Aflatoxigenic fungi, postharvest, Zea mays

scholarly journals Effect of Fusarium graminearum and infection index on germination and vigor of maize seeds

2005 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 470-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana A Galli ◽  
Simone A Fessel ◽  
Rita C Panizzi
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Fusarium Graminearum ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Accelerated Aging ◽  
Cold Test ◽  
Maize Seed ◽  
Maize Seeds ◽  
Incubation Periods ◽  
Infection Index ◽  
Optimal Period

Pathogens in maize (Zea mays) seeds cause serious problems, such as the loss of their capacity to germinative. The objectives of this study were to identify the optimal period for infection of maize seeds on agar colonized by Fusarium graminearum, when incubated for 4, 8, 16 and 32 h, and to evaluate the effect of the fungus on the germination and vigor of seeds with different infection levels. After the respective incubation periods, the seeds were removed from the culture medium and submitted to the blotter test for 3 min with and without superficial disinfection with 1% solution of sodium hypochlorite. Once the optimal period for seed incubation was identified, seeds from the same sample were again placed on the colonized agar for infection. Germination and vigor tests (accelerated aging and cold test) were performed with a mixture of healthy seeds (placed on PDA medium) and inoculated seeds, resulting in seeds with 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% rates of infection. The results showed that a period of 32 h was long enough to obtain seeds infected by the pathogen. There were no significant effects of fungal infection on seed germination at any of the infection levels, probably due to the high vigor of the maize seed lot tested. Regarding vigor tests, infection levels differed significantly from the control (0% infection), but there were no significant differences among the infection levels.

scholarly journals The Pathogenesis-Related Maize Seed (PRms) Gene Plays a Role in Resistance to Aspergillus flavus Infection and Aflatoxin Contamination

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajtilak Majumdar ◽  
Kanniah Rajasekaran ◽  
Christine Sickler ◽  
Matthew Lebar ◽  
Bryan M. Musungu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Maize Seed ◽  
Pathogenesis Related

scholarly journals Corn-Soybean Rotation Systems in the Mississippi Delta: Implications on Mycotoxin Contamination and Soil Populations ofAspergillus flavus

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamed K. Abbas ◽  
Nacer Bellaloui ◽  
Robert M. Zablotowicz ◽  
H. Arnold Bruns ◽  
Anne M. Gillen
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Glycine Max ◽  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Mississippi Delta ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Mycotoxin Contamination

The effect of corn-soybean rotation on mycotoxin contamination in corn (Zea maysL.) and soybean (Glycine maxL. Merrill.) grains has not been fully evaluated. Therefore, this research investigated the effect of corn-soybean rotation on aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination in respective grains. The results showed that aflatoxin levels in soybean averaged 2.3,<0.5, 0.6, and 6.8 ng/g in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, while corn aflatoxin levels were 16.7, 37.1, 2.4, and 54.8 ng/g, respectively.Aspergillus flavuscolonization was significantly greater (P≤0.05) in corn (log 1.9, 2.9, and 4.0 cfu/g) compared to soybean (<1.3, 2.6, and 2.7 cfu/g) in 2005, 2007, and 2008, respectively. AflatoxigenicA. flavusisolates were more frequent in corn than in soybean in all four years. Higher fumonisin levels were found in corn (0.2 to 3.6 μg/g) than in soybean (<0.2 μg/g). Rotating soybean with corn reduces the potential for aflatoxin contamination in corn by reducingA. flavuspropagules in soil and grain and reducing aflatoxigenicA. flavuscolonization. These results demonstrated that soybean grain is less susceptible to aflatoxin contamination compared to corn due to a lower level of colonization byA. flavuswith a greater occurrence of non-aflatoxigenic isolates.

scholarly journals Does the use of atoxigenic biocontrol products to mitigate aflatoxin in maize increase fumonisin content in grains?

Plant Disease ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Ortega-Beltran ◽  
Daniel Agbetiameh ◽  
Joseph Atehnkeng ◽  
Titilayo D.O. Falade ◽  
Ranajit Bandyopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Aspergillus Flavus ◽  
Fusarium Species ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Fusarium Spp ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Tropics

In the tropics and subtropics, maize and other crops are frequently contaminated with aflatoxins by Aspergillus flavus. Treatment of crops with atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus formulated into biocontrol products can significantly reduce aflatoxin contamination. Treated crops contain up to 100% less aflatoxins compared to untreated crops. However, there is the notion that protecting crops from aflatoxin contamination may result in increased accumulation of other toxins, particularly fumonisins produced by a few Fusarium species. The objective of this study was to determine if treatment of maize with aflatoxin biocontrol products increased fumonisin concentration and fumonisin-producing fungi in grains. Over 200 maize samples from fields treated with atoxigenic biocontrol products in Nigeria and Ghana were examined for fumonisin content and contrasted with maize from untreated fields. Apart from low aflatoxin levels, most treated maize also harbored fumonisin levels considered safe by the European Union (< 1 part per million). Most untreated maize also harbored equally low fumonisin levels but contained higher aflatoxin levels. In addition, during one year, we detected considerably less Fusarium spp. densities in treated maize than in untreated maize. Our results do not support the hypothesis that treating crops with atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus used in biocontrol formulations results in higher grain fumonisin levels.

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