Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry 2020 Volume 36, Issue 1, Pages: 75-85
https://doi.org/10.2298/BAH2001075K
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Natural toxigenic fungal and mycotoxin occurrence in maize hybrids
Krnjaja Vesna (Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, Serbia)
Mandić Violeta (Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, Serbia)
Bijelić Zorica (Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, Serbia)
Lukić Miloš (Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, Serbia)
Petrović Tanja (Institute of Food Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia)
Stanković Slavica (Maize Research Institute “Zemun Polje“, Belgrade, Serbia)
Nikolić Milica (Maize Research Institute “Zemun Polje“, Belgrade, Serbia)
The objective of the present study was to investigate the susceptibility of
maize hybrids to the natural occurrence of toxigenic fungal species, in
particular toxigenic Aspergillus and Fusarium species, and mycotoxins
(aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), deoxynivalenol (DON) and total fumonisins B1, B2 and
B3 (FBs)). Grain samples of six commercial maize hybrids (MAS 34.B - FAO
300, MAS 40.F, MAS 48.L, KWS Konfites and ZP 427 - FAO 400, and MAS 56.A -
FAO 500) were collected at harvest in 2018. A total of seven fungal genera,
Acremonium, Alternaria, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Nigrospora, Penicillium and
Rhizopus, were identified of which only species from the genus Fusarium were
present on maize grains of all hybrids tested. The incidence of Fusarium
spp. was higher in the hybrids MAS 48.L (54.6%), and MAS 56.A (53.3%),
compared to MAS 40.F (37.3%), KWS Konfites (28%), MAS 34.B (22.6%) and ZP
427 (12%) hybrids. Among the identified Fusarium species (F. graminearum, F.
proliferatum, F. subglutinans and F. verticillioides), F. proliferatum was
present in all hybrids, ranging from 9.3% (ZP 427) to 30.7% (MAS 48.L ),
whereas F. subglutinans was present in two hybrids, MAS 40.F (16%) and MAS
56.A (9.3%). The incidence of F. graminearum ranged from 0% (KWS Konfites)
to 9.3% (MAS 34.B), while the incidence of F. verticillioides ranged from 0%
(MAS 34.B and ZP 427) to 21.3% (MAS 48.L). In the samples, Aspergillus
species were not identified. The effect of maize hybrids was significant on
the level of mycotoxins. MAS 34.B hybrid had a statistically significantly
higher levels of AFB1 and DON than other hybrids. The FBs level was the
highest in the hybrid MAS 34.B (1202 μg kg-1) and the lowest in the hybrid
KWS Konfites (88.33 μg kg-1). However, the FBs level did not differ between
hybrids MAS 34.B, MAS 40.F, and MAS 56.L, MAS 40.F, MAS 48.L, and MAS 56.A,
and KWS Konfites and ZP 427. In all hybrids, AFB1, DON, and FBs levels were
below the maximum permissible levels stipulated by the legislation of the
European Union and the Republic of Serbia in unprocessed maize. The
agro-ecological conditions in 2018 favored the development of Fusarium
species on maize grains of the hybrids tested, especially fumonisin
producing species.
Keywords: toxigenic fungal species, mycotoxins, maize hybrids
Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development