EFFECT OF FUNGAL INFESTATION ON THE STARCH, LIPIDS AND DRY-WEIGHT OF MAIZE SEEDS

Infestation of three varieties of maize (Zea mays L.) by six dominant maize seed fungi, viz. Alternaria alternate, Aspergillus flavus, Fusar ium moniliforme, Penicillium expansum, Rhizopus nigricans and Trichode rma viride, resulted in the reduction in dry weight, increase in fat a cidity and depletion of starch. A. flavus increased fat acidity in, 'L ocal White variety and 'Vijay' (53.5% and 69.2%) and P. expansum in 'V L-16' variety (74.2%), after 30 days of incubation. Starch depletion w as found to be slow during the initial phase of incubation. but became pronounced after 30 days of incubation. A. flavus showed maximum depl etion of starch (48.5%) and A. alternata the least (25.3%). Highest re duction in dry weight of the seeds was in case of A. flavus.