Detection of fusarin C and trichothecenes in Fusarium strains from Spain

A group of 49 strains of Fusarium sp. isolated from different Spanish sampl es of cereals and mixed feedstuffs were screened for their ability to produ ce trichothecenes like T-2 toxin (T-2), HT-2 toxin (HT-2), diacetoxyscirpen ol (DAS) and deoxynivalenol (DN), as well as other mycotoxin produced by Fu sarium named fusarin C. The production of these mycotoxins was analyzed by means of spectrophotometry, thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performan ce liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC). Results showed that from 19 Fusarium strains in which cultures trichothecene production w as detected, 15 were HT-2 producers, 9 T-2 producers, 14 DAS producers and 10 DN producers. On the other hand, from 28 Fusarium strains in which cultu res fusarin C production was detected, 22 were low fusarin C producers (ran ged from 0.04 to 1 mu g/l ICI medium), 5 Fusarium strains were intermediate -level producers (ranged from 1 to 10 mu g/l ICI medium) and one Fusarium s train produced 240 mu g/l ICI medium. The identified Fusarium strains that produced trichothecenes and fusarin C were F. moniliforme and F. oxysporum.