SILK MAYSIN CONTENT AND RESISTANCE OF COMMERCIAL CORN [MAIZE] HYBRIDSTO KERNEL CONTAMINATION BY AFLATOXIN

Several phenols and related compounds have been shown to have detrimen tal effects on insects while others have antibiotic activity against f ungi which attack higher plants. Insects have also been implicated as contributors to preharvest contamination of corn [maize], Zea mays L, by aflatoxin. The objectives, therefore, were to determine (a) if comm ercial corn hybrids vary in their silk maysin content and aflatoxin co ntamination of the grain, and (b) if grain aflatoxin contamination is correlated with maysin and related compounds. During 4 years of testin g, 16 corn hybrids varied significantly for silk maysin content and gr ain aflatoxin contamination. Based on correlations, grain aflatoxin co ntent of the hybrids tested was not significantly associated with mays in, chlorogenic acid, and 3'-methoxymaysin contents. It was concluded that other untested phenolic compounds in the category of compounds an alyzed in the present study could be involved in resistance to aflatox in formation, and that other classes of compounds should also now be a ssessed to locate major chemical resistance components.