Toxicity of Some Fusarium Section Sporotrichiella Strains

The relationship between the toxicities of crude extracts and purified toxins of Fusarium spp. belonging to the section SporotrichieUla has been assessed. Toxicity was determined on the basis of death ofArtemia salina larvae and of viability and blastogenic response of bovine and human lymphocytes. Trichothecene-producing strains ofFusarium sporotrichioides and Fusarium poae were toxic toA. salina and to lymphocyte blastogenesis. A strain of Fusarium tricinctum, producing visoltricin and chlamydosporol, induced differentiated activity in different bioassays (toxicity to A. salina but only minor activity against lymphocyte blastogenesis). Other, non-toxin-producing strains of Fusarium chlamydosporum, F. poae, and F. tricinctum were not active in the tested biosystems.