Assessing several fungal contaminants and their associated mycotoxins in maize cultivated on cornfields of Republic of Moldova

Abstract

Maize is an important crop for the Republic of Moldova and one of the crops most contaminated with mycotoxins. Maize grain obtained from plants cultivated on Moldavian cornfields in 2021 and 2022 were tested for mycotoxigenic risk using qPCR with primers to several fungal genome sequences engaged in mycotoxin synthesis and ELISA test to screen total aflatoxins, fumonisin B1, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol and T-2 toxin. Except for T-2 toxin, the mycotoxin concentrations were under the limits of detection and did not exceed maximum admissible levels for unprocessed grain. Concentrations of T-2 toxin in grain samples did not correlate significantly with the quantity of toxigenic F. sporotrichioides. All of the analysed grain samples were contaminated with at least one toxigenic fungus, and 20% of the samples were infected with seven different species of toxigenic fungi. Accumulation of fungi in maize kernels was affected significantly by the season, and generally a decrease was observed in fungal frequency and quantity under drought conditions. However, several toxigenic Aspergillus and Fusarium fungi that are able to produce aflatoxins and fumonisins under improper storage conditions were found in the kernels during the whole period of monitoring.

Keywords:

• qPCR
• mycotoxins
• maize
• ELISA
• toxigenic fungi

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

These research was supported by State research program 20.80009.5107.11 ‘Long-term ex-situ conservation of plant genetic resources in Gene banc using molecular methods for testing the phytosanitary state of plant germplasm’ funded by National Agency for Research and Development, Republic of Moldova.