Use of gamma radiation to control Fusarium verticillioides producing two known mycotoxins in infected corn grains.

Abstract

Fusarium verticillioides Sacc. (Nirenberg) was isolated from fresh grains collected from corn fields with ears symptoms. When cultured in liquid media under controlled incubation conditions, two already known mycotoxins were produced. The two mycotoxins were obtained through the extraction process of the lyophilized culture filtrate under acidic condition using ethyl acetate and were detected by thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography in comparison with the authentic of both acids. Mass spectroscopic investigations confirmed the molecular weight of the two toxic compounds which are known as fusaric and 9, 10-dehydro fusaric acids. Application of gamma radiation at doses up to 3 KGy caused a slight decrease in the mould count of isolated pathogen while a 5 KGy dose caused a dramatic reduction in fungal count and at irradiation dose of 12.5 KGy the fungus was completely inhibited for up to 12 weeks of storage.