title: The first report of A. novoparasiticus, A. arachidicola and A. pseudocaelatus in Brazilian corn kernels.
abstract: Maize is one of the most important commercial crops cultivated throughout the world, mostly in tropical and subtropical countries. It is highly susceptible to mycotoxins, toxic secondary metabolites produced by fungi. In this study, we assessed freshly harvested corn produced in Brazil for aflatoxin contamination and the presence of Aspergillus. B type aflatoxins (AFB1+AFB2) were detected in 56% of 16 grain samples, while G type aflatoxins (AFG1+AFG2) were detected in 25%. Of the total number of grains (n=1920) evaluated for the presence of fungi species, 4.7% were infected with Aspergillus species, 74.5% and 16.7% respectively with Fusarium and Penicillium species and 4.1% with other fungi genera. In total, 89 Aspergillus isolates were identified, most (86 isolates) characterized as belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi, and the remainder to Aspergillus section Cremei (2 isolates) and Aspergillus section Terrei (1 isolate). All the isolates of section Flavi were subjected to molecular analysis. They were found to belong to six species, including Aspergillus novoparasiticus, Aspergillus arachidicola and Aspergillus pseudocaelatus, all aflatoxins B and G producing species, which are herein described for the first time infecting corn kernels.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, P. O. Box 6001, Londrina 86.057-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Helena Paula
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Viaro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, P. O. Box 6001, Londrina 86.057-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Josué José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, P. O. Box 6001, Londrina 86.057-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Souza Ferranti
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, P. O. Box 6001, Londrina 86.057-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaqueline Gozzi
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Bordini
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, P. O. Box 6001, Londrina 86.057-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Pelisson
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Massi
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia Geral, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, P. O. Box 6001, Londrina 86.057-970, Brazil. Electronic address: mariafungaro@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maria Helena Pelegrinelli
authors.initials: MHP
authors.lastname: Fungaro
mesh_terms: D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000032:analysis*; D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001483:Base Sequence; D001938:Brazil; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D005670:Fusarium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010407:Penicillium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014404:Tubulin / Q000235:genetics; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D014404:Tubulin; C027955:aflatoxin G1; D016604:Aflatoxin B1
keywords: Aflatoxins; Aspergillus identification; Aspergillus section Flavi; Corn contamination