AFLATOXIN FORMATION AND VARIETAL DIFFERENCE OF COW PEA (VIGNA-UNGUICULATA (L) WALP) AND GARDEN PEA (PISUM-SATIVUM L) CULTIVARS

Different cultivars of cow pea and garden pea seeds were surveyed for susceptibility or resistance towards the toxigenic and aflatoxin-produ cing mould (Aspergillus flavus IMI 102135). The results show that afla toxin production varied among the different cultivars of both cow pea and garden pea. Morphological and histological characters of the diffe rent cultivars tested did not show any relation between colour, shape and size of seeds and the amount of aflatoxin produced. The chemical a nalysis of the different constituents obtained from both seed coats an d seed kernels with susceptible, partially resistant and resistant cow pea and garden pea cultivars revealed that the resistant cultivars of cow pea (namely: Balady cultivar) and garden pea (namely: Melting Sug ar cultivar) contained lower levels of sodium and higher levels of pho sphate and potassium.