Toxigenicity of fungi from grain sorghum

The mycoflora of nine varieties of grain sorghum was determined by plating serial dilutions of ground samples on rose bengal-streptomycin agar. Seventeen species of fungi representing 10 genera were identified. Curvularia, Penicillium, Mucor, and Aspergillus were dominant genera. Extracts of P. herquei were highly toxic to brine shrimp, while those of C. clavata, C. lunata, and Mucor mucedo showed low to moderate toxicity. Extracts of C. clavata, C. lunata, and M. mucedo were highly toxic to chicken embryos; those of six other species showed low to moderate toxicity. Extracts of C. clavata, C. lunata, M. mucedo, Fusarium moniliforme, Alternaria tenuissima. P. herquei, and P. steckii showed varying degrees of toxicity to day-old cockerels.