MYCOFLORA OF ARGENTINEAN CORN HARVESTED IN THE MAIN PRODUCTION AREA IN 1990

Corn (Zea mays) is the main cereal produced in and exported from Argen tina. The risk of contamination by mycotoxins is related to the mycofl ora associated with the corn kernels. This paper reports on the identi fication of internal and external mycoflora of corn kernels harvested in the main production area in Argentina in 1990. A mycological survey was carried out on 178 corn samples, from five locations in that area and the isolation frequency and relative density of the prevalent fun gal genera compared. Genus Fusarium was the most prevalent component o f the internal seedborne mycoflora in the five locations. Penicillium was prevalent in all locations, taking into account the frequency. How ever, this genus was predominant only in two locations, when the relat ive density was considered. The predominant Fusarium was F. moniliform e and the most frequently isolated species of Alternaria, Aspergillus and Penicillium were A. alternata, A. flavus and P. decumbens, respect ively. Diplodia species were not isolated from any of the samples.