title: Pre-harvest aflatoxins and Aspergillus flavus contamination in variable germplasms of red chillies from Kunri, Pakistan.
abstract: Various cultivars of red chilli were collected from a small town named Kunri, located in the province Sindh, Pakistan. This town is a hub of red chilli production in Asia. A total of 69 samples belonging to 6 cultivars were obtained and analysed for the occurrence of aflatoxins and Aspergillus flavus, to explore the potential of resistant and susceptible germplasm. Aflatoxins were detected by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while A. flavus was isolated and identified using agar plate, blotter paper, deep freezing and dilution techniques. Molecular characterization using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1/4 and A. flavus specific FL1-F/R primers confirmed the identity of A. flavus. The data revealed that 67 and 75% samples contaminated with aflatoxin B1(AFB1) and with A. flavus, respectively. A highly susceptible chilli cultivar was 'Nagina', showing 78.8% frequency of total aflatoxins (1.2-600 μg/kg) and a mean of 87.7 μg/kg for AFB1and 121.9 μg/kg for total aflatoxins. A. flavus was detected with 93% frequency and 2.14 × 104colony forming units. In contrast, cultivars 'Kunri' and 'Drooping Type' were found to be resistant, with low levels of aflatoxins and fungal counts. The study was conducted for the first time to explore two potential cultivars that were less susceptible towards A. flavus and aflatoxin contamination. These cultivars could be preferably cultivated and thereby boost Pakistan's chilli production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan. shaistaakhund@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shaista
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhund
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Abida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akram
authors.affiliation: Romer Labs, Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Nafeesa Qudsia
authors.initials: NQ
authors.lastname: Hanif
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rahmatullah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Pathology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Farah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Naz
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, 46300, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Brian Gagosh
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Nayyar
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000032:analysis*; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002212:Capsicum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005506:Food Contamination; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D010154:Pakistan; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
keywords: Aflatoxin; Aspergillus flavus; Capsicum annuum; Cultivars; Resistance; Susceptible