Mycotoxins produced byFusarium species associated with maize ear rot in Iran

Mycotoxins contamination is one of the most important problems worldwide in maize that can cause serious threat for human and animal health. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of Fusarium species associated with maize ear rot to produce diverse mycotoxins. The results showed, One out of three isolates of F. subglutinans produced detectable level of beauvericin (BEA); the only isolate of F. temperatum produced 302µg/g ofBEA. Two out of five isolates of F. redolens produced enniatin B1and four isolates of this species produced high levels of BEA. As well, 21 isolates of Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex (FIESC) and one isolates of F. brachygibbosum were evaluated for production of trichothecens (T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, Diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), nivalenol (NIV) and deoxynivalenol (DON)), zearalenone (ZEN), enniatins (ENN A, A1, B and B1) and BEA by HPLC. Production of trichothecens, ZEN and BEAwith one, three and four isolates of FIESC, respectively were observed and one isolate of F. brachygibbosum only produced detectable level of DAS and ENN B1. Analyzing of moniliformin production of F. proliferatum (26 isolates), FIESC (21 isolates) and F.thapsinum (10 isolates) showed none of them produce this toxin. These results revealed the ability of Fusarium spp. from maize to produce a varied range of mycotoxins which are harmful to human and animal’s health. Therefore, the occurrence of such broad number of different species on Iranian maize could be reason of great concern because of the toxigenic risk associated to these species.