title: Fumonisins in maize in relation to climate, planting time and hybrids in two agroecological zones in Zambia.
abstract: Field experiments in the high rainfall zone (HRZ) and the medium rainfall zone (MRZ) in Zambia were designed to determine the natural occurrence of fumonisins (FB(1-2)) in Zambian maize hybrids, accumulation of FB(1-2) resulting from artificial inoculation with Fusarium verticillioides and effects of climate and planting time on FB(1-2) in maize. Combined FB(1-2) concentrations varied from 0 to 13,050 ng/g, with an overall mean of 666 ng/g. Maize from the HRZ had low incidences of FB(1-2)-positive samples (mean 41%) which contained FB(1-2) below 500 ng/g. In the MRZ, higher incidences (mean 97%) and concentrations (40% of samples >1,000 ng/g) were recorded in two out of three years. There was no correlation between mean location FB(1-2) concentrations in individual years and precipitation, number of rain days or monthly precipitation. Postponing the planting time with 10 or 20 days did not significantly affect FB(1-2) concentration, but it reduced the yields in some years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, As, Norway.
authors.forename: Johanne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Schjøth
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Visconti
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sundheim
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods; D002678:Chimera; D002980:Climate; D005506:Food Contamination; D037341:Fumonisins / Q000032:analysis*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D011891:Rain; D013997:Time Factors; D015024:Zambia; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D037341:Fumonisins