Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa
Fusarium spp. produce fumonisins - mycotoxins that are of importance to maize production in South Africa. Fumonisins have been associated with human oesophageal cancer and cause various diseases in animals that are of concern to the animal feed industry. Maize samples, collected from subsistence f...
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Academy of Science of South Africa
2011-01-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Science |
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| Online Access: | https://sajs.co.za/article/view/10075 |
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| author | Edson Ncube Bradley Flett Cees Waalwijk Altus Viljoen |
| author_facet | Edson Ncube Bradley Flett Cees Waalwijk Altus Viljoen |
| author_sort | Edson Ncube |
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| description | Fusarium spp. produce fumonisins - mycotoxins that are of importance to maize production in South Africa. Fumonisins have been associated with human oesophageal cancer and cause various diseases in animals that are of concern to the animal feed industry. Maize samples, collected from subsistence farm fields in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa during the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons, were analysed for Fusarium spp. and contamination with fumonisins. Fusarium verticillioides was the most common Fusarium species in maize followed by F. subglutinans and F. proliferatum. Levels of contamination with fumonisins ranged from 0 μg/g to 21.8 μg/g, depending on the region where samples were collected. Levels of fumonisins were highest in northern KwaZulu-Natal (Zululand) where 52% and 17% of samples collected in 2006 and 2007, respectively, exceeded 2 μg/g. Regression analyses showed a positive correlation between fumonisin-producing Fusarium spp. determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and concentration of fumonisins (r = 0.93). Many samples from Zululand, and some from Mokopane (Limpopo) and Lusikisiki (Eastern Cape), contained fumonisins at levels well above the maximum levels of 2 μg/g set by the Food and Drug administration (USA) and therefore also the limit of 1 μg/g set by the European Union for food intended for direct human consumption. Regulations governing contamination of grain with fumonisins are not yet implemented in South Africa. The high incidence of fumonisins in subsistence farming systems indicates the need for awareness programmes and further research. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0f2c5b510dbd4571b28dd206cd0f09f8 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1996-7489 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | Academy of Science of South Africa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-0f2c5b510dbd4571b28dd206cd0f09f82025-08-20T02:25:30ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892011-01-011071/27 pages7 pages8277Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South AfricaEdson Ncube0Bradley Flett1Cees Waalwijk2Altus Viljoen3Agricultural Research Council-Grain Crops Institute, PotchefstroomAgricultural Research Council-Grain Crops Institute, PotchefstroomPlant Research International BV, WageningenDepartment of Plant Pathology, University of StellenboschFusarium spp. produce fumonisins - mycotoxins that are of importance to maize production in South Africa. Fumonisins have been associated with human oesophageal cancer and cause various diseases in animals that are of concern to the animal feed industry. Maize samples, collected from subsistence farm fields in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa during the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons, were analysed for Fusarium spp. and contamination with fumonisins. Fusarium verticillioides was the most common Fusarium species in maize followed by F. subglutinans and F. proliferatum. Levels of contamination with fumonisins ranged from 0 μg/g to 21.8 μg/g, depending on the region where samples were collected. Levels of fumonisins were highest in northern KwaZulu-Natal (Zululand) where 52% and 17% of samples collected in 2006 and 2007, respectively, exceeded 2 μg/g. Regression analyses showed a positive correlation between fumonisin-producing Fusarium spp. determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and concentration of fumonisins (r = 0.93). Many samples from Zululand, and some from Mokopane (Limpopo) and Lusikisiki (Eastern Cape), contained fumonisins at levels well above the maximum levels of 2 μg/g set by the Food and Drug administration (USA) and therefore also the limit of 1 μg/g set by the European Union for food intended for direct human consumption. Regulations governing contamination of grain with fumonisins are not yet implemented in South Africa. The high incidence of fumonisins in subsistence farming systems indicates the need for awareness programmes and further research.https://sajs.co.za/article/view/10075mycotoxinsfumonisinsfusarium species |
| spellingShingle | Edson Ncube Bradley Flett Cees Waalwijk Altus Viljoen Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa South African Journal of Science mycotoxins fumonisins fusarium species |
| title | Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa |
| title_full | Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa |
| title_short | Fusarium spp. and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in South Africa |
| title_sort | fusarium spp and levels of fumonisins in maize produced by subsistence farmers in south africa |
| topic | mycotoxins fumonisins fusarium species |
| url | https://sajs.co.za/article/view/10075 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT edsonncube fusariumsppandlevelsoffumonisinsinmaizeproducedbysubsistencefarmersinsouthafrica AT bradleyflett fusariumsppandlevelsoffumonisinsinmaizeproducedbysubsistencefarmersinsouthafrica AT ceeswaalwijk fusariumsppandlevelsoffumonisinsinmaizeproducedbysubsistencefarmersinsouthafrica AT altusviljoen fusariumsppandlevelsoffumonisinsinmaizeproducedbysubsistencefarmersinsouthafrica |