OCCURRENCE AND TOXICITY OF FUSARIUM-SUBGLUTINANS FROM PERUVIAN MAIZE

Twenty-five samples of maize kernels collected at harvest time from ge ographically different corn fields in Peru, were examined for the occu rrence of toxigenic Fusarium species. The most frequently recovered sp ecies were F. subglutinans (48%), F. moniliforme (46%), and F. equiset i (5%). Other Fusarium species isolated (up to 1%) included F. gramine arum, F. acuminatum, F. solani, F. oxysporum, and F. culmorum. Assays of Fusarium culture extracts using Artemia salina larvae, showed F. su bglutinans as one of the most toxigenic species, and its toxicity was mostly correlated to the capability to produce beauvericin (BEA). All eight tested isolates of F. subglutinans grown on autoclaved com kerne ls produced BEA (from 50 to 250 mg/Kg) as well as moniliformin (M) (fr om 70 to 270 mg/Kg). This is the first report on BEA and M production by maize isolates of F. subglutinans from South America.