THE MYCOFLORA AND INCIDENCE OF AFLATOXIN, ZEARALENONE AND STERIGMATOCYSTIN IN DAIRY FEED AND FORAGE SAMPLES FROM EASTERN INDIA AND BANGLADESH

The mycoflora of a range of mixed ruminant feed and forage samples col lected in Eastern India and Bangladesh were determined. Most fungi iso lated from the samples were those associated with low moisture content s. Several potentially mycotoxigenic fungi and thermotolerant species were present particularly in the rice straw. The most frequently isola ted fungi were: Aspergillus versicolor (Vuill.) Tiraboschi, Penicilliu m citrinum Them, Eurotium species, Wallemia sebi (Fr.) v. Arx, Aspergi llus penicilloides Speg. and yeasts. Fusarium moniliforme Sheldon and Cladosporium species were prevalent in straw but not other feeds. Leve ls of certain individual fungi, particularly thermotolerant types, wer e higher in Bangladesh rice straw although overall counts were similar to those of the Indian samples. Mycotoxin analyses for aflatoxins, ze aralenone and sterigmatocystin were carried out. Aflatoxins were detec ted in significant amounts in some feed samples from Eastern India but not in rice straw from India and Bangladesh. Zearalenone occurred in a Paspalum straw sample and three other feed samples from India and st erigmatocystin was detected in three rice straw samples from Banglades h.