NEPHROTOXIGENIC PENICILLIUM SPECIES OCCURRING ON FARM-STORED CEREAL-GRAINS IN WESTERN CANADA

The incidence of nephrotoxigenic Penicillium species on farm-stored ce reals in western Canada was determined by morphological and metabolite profile examination. Of the 142 isolates examined 102 were toxin prod ucers with 61 P. aurantiogriseum and 27 P. freii. Other nephrotoxigeni c species included P. tricolor (6 isolates), P. verrucosum Chemotype I I (4 isolates) and P. viridicatum Westling (4 isolates). The nephrotox igenic Penicillium species profile for western Canada appears to diffe r from that of Denmark where P. verrucosum, P. cyclopium, P. freii and , to a lesser extent, P. aurantiogriseum, P. polonicum, and P. viridic atum predominate.