The Risk of Mycotoxin Contamination and Delay Harvesting on Quality and Technological Parameters of Spring Cereals

This study aimed to assess the risk of mycotoxin contamination and delayed harvesting on the quality and technological parameters of spring oats and triticale. Seventy-two grain samples were collected at three stages from four randomized field replots. Delayed harvesting led to high mycotoxin contamination of spring oats by DON and T-2 toxin and triticale grains by DON and ZEA and diminished main grain quality indicators, including mass per hectoliter, falling number, and RVA pasting properties. The optimal harvest time, especially in wet weather conditions, is a crucial consideration for viscosity. The correlation analyses between mycotoxins and the quality and technological parameters of oats and triticale grains revealed a trend in which the increasing mycotoxin contamination of spring cereal grains leads to negative consequences on mass per hectoliter, protein, starch, K, Can and Mg in oat grains and a reduction in mass per hectoliter, Mg, viscosity, and falling number values in triticale grains. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Information on the risk of mycotoxin contamination and harvest delays affecting the quality and technological parameters of spring grain crops will be useful and provide new insights to grain producers, buyers, processors, and other interested professionals on factors that reduce the quality of spring grains.