Contamination of freshly harvested maize kernels withFusarium mycotoxins on Bihar state, India

Freshly harvested maize samples, collected from different fields of Bhagalpur during January-March, 1989, were analysed for the presence of Fusarium species and their toxins.F. moniliforme was most common followed byF. roseum,F. sporotrichioides,F. graminearum andF. equiseti. Different strains of these species produced zearalenone (11.2-28.2 μ/g), DON (0.3-2.9 μg/g) and T-2 (5.2-20.6 μg/g) toxins on mostrice medium. Fifteen per cent, out of 86 maize samples analysed, were found to be contaminated with various levels of above toxins, which occurred either alone or in groups. Toxin concentration in contaminated samples varied from 0.76-1.5 μg/g (ZEN), 0.41-202 μg/g (DON) and 0.55-2.92 μg/g (T-2).