Über den Gehalt von Mutterkorn an toxischen Alkaloiden sowie der Beziehung zwischen der Mutterkombelastung des Roggens und dem Alkaloidgehalt des Mutterkorns

In the last decades, data on the content of toxic alkaloids in ergot and the relationship of the ergot contamination in rye and the alkaloid content in ergot has been scarce. Therefore, the level of ergot contamination (g/kg rye) and the alkaloid contents (mg/kg ergot) of ergot grown on 7, 21 and 24 artificially infected rye varieties at three German locations in 2002, 2003 and 2004 were determined. In addition, three different ergot size fractions and rye kerneis of ergot infected ears were analysed on their alkaloid contents to investigate if small sclerotia show higher alkaloid con tents than large ones and if the ergot alkaloids are able to penetrate the grain. In general, the factor rye variety had only minor influence on the ergot alkaloid content, but the extent of ergot con tamination in rye was highly affected. The results concerning the effect of the location on the ergot alkaloid content were inconsistent, but proved to be significant for the ergot contamination. However, an influence of ihe year on the er got alkaloid content can be derived from the data observed although the ergot contamination remained unaffected. Both parameters, ergot contamination and ergot alkaloid content, varied to a large extent and showed no relation ship in the majority of cases. For this reason the analysis of the toxic alkaloids should be preferred to evaluate potential risks at feeding instead of the ergot contamination in grain, which is current practice in the European Union until now. Concerning the different ergot size fractions, the alkaloid contents differed not significantly from each olher. Since no ergot alkaloids were detected in rye kemels of ergot in fected ears, a transfer from sclerotia into grain seems not to be relevant.