ACCUMULATION OF THE MYCOTOXIN BEAUVERICIN IN KERNELS OF CORN HYBRIDS INOCULATED WITH FUSARIUM SUBGLUTINANS

The accumulation of the mycotoxin beauvericin (BEA) after artificial i noculation of corn ears with Fusarium subglutinans is reported here fo r the first time. Ears of nine hybrids have been examined using a trac e analytical method capable of detecting BEA down to 0.05 mg/kg (recov ery 82.6%). Fusarium-damaged kernels contained 6.5-15.8 mg of BEA/kg a nd healthy looking kernels 0.07-0.13 mg of BEA/kg. The hybrids Mona an d Anna, which showed the lowest susceptibility to Fusarium ear rot, ac cumulated the lowest amounts of BEA in the total ear, on average 0.40 and 0.85 mg/kg, respectively. Ears of the remaining hybrids accumulate d 1.02-5.77 mg of BEA/kg.