In Vitro Analysis of Volatile Headspaces Involving Aspergillus spp. of Agricultural Importance

A previous study from this lab identified volatilized metabolites in the headspaces of four Aspergillus strains from Louisiana, revealing substrate dependent variation, as well as compounds unique to the non-aflatoxigenic strain and one or more of the three aflatoxigenic strains. In this study, the headspaces of four strains from each of three other states (Arizona, Georgia, and Mississippi) were captured, analyzed, and compared. Headspace variation again was substrate dependent, and two of the examined non-aflatoxigenic strains produced an abundance of unique compounds not observed in the headspaces of strains from other regions (including Louisiana). In addition, the pool of volatile organic compounds unique to non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus strains is here expanded (n = 11) for future testing for biocontrol-related properties. Similarly, the pool of compounds unique to aflatoxin producing strains is expanded (n = 15) for further exploration as infection biomarkers.