ECOTOXINOGENESIS OF FUSARIUM-MONILIFORME - FUMONISIN B1 PRODUCTION AND STABILITY

Sixty strains of F. moniliforme were isolated from 73 samples of corn seeds harvested by hand. These strains were cultivated on hydrated (50 %) and sterilized corn, in optimal condition for fumonisin B1 (FB1) pr oduction: 22-degrees-C, 28 days. Weekly analysis of FB1 was performed by instrumentalized planar chromatography. 95% of strains produced mor e than 50 mg FB1/g corn: 50% producing over 800 mg/g might be consider ed as actually toxigenic in agronomic situation. Half-life times of FB 1 in corn was definitely longer than different thermal treatments (50 to 150-degrees-C). As a consequence, first, of the high frequency of F . moniliforme and toxigenesis of strains, and, secondly, of FB1 stabil ity, contamination of corn and its derivatives is a permanent threat, confirmed by occasional acute toxicosis.