Ecological aspects of distribution of potential toxin - producing micromycetes on stored apple fruit

The effect of ecological aspects of distribution of potential toxin-producing micromycetes on stored apple fruit was investigated at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture and Institute of Botany in 2004–2005. Fungi of twenty species belonging to eight genera were isolated from rotten and healthy apple fruits. Penicillium expansum and Penicillium italicum showed a high frequency of occurrence and were isolated from 50% and 17% healthy apples and from 83% and 67% of rotten fruits respectively. Seventeen species belonging to five genera were isolated from the storehouse air and dust. Eight species belonging to three genera were isolated from storehouse air. Aspergillus amstelodami, A. clavatus, Cladosporium cladosporioides, C. herbarum, Penicillium clavigerum, P. corymbiferum, P. oxalicum, P. roqueforti were identified as airborne fungi in the storehouse. Six species (Acremonium roseum, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus repens, Penicillium expansum, P. janthinellum, P. lanosum) belonging to four genera were isolated from the storehouse dust. Two species, Aspergillus ustus and Penicillium cyclopium, were identified in the storehouse air and dust.