Incidence of potentially toxigenic fungi in maize (Zea mays L.) grain used as food and animal feed

Abstract

Recently, new maize hybrids have been introduced in northern Mexico to reduce importations of grain, which is mainly directed for the production of flour and animal feed. This represents a potential risk to both human and animal health because of the development of fungal pathogens under the local weather conditions; thus, the identification of tolerant hybrids has become a priority. In this way, the objective of this study was to observe the mycoflora development in maize. There were 12 yellow and 10 white seed maize hybrids randomly planted. At harvest time, a grain sample of each plot was collected, surface-sterilized, plated in culture media, and incubated. After 7 days, colonies were observed and analyzed. The major fungi encountered were Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp., and Aspergillus spp. When compared with the yellow hybrids, white hybrids had 34, 52 and 22\% less infection by F. verticillioides, Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus niger, respectively, and almost the double infection with Penicillium spp. White hybrids presented 51\% more healthy grains than the yellow hybrids.