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Postharvest Pathology and Mycotoxins

Mycoflora of Corn Produced in Human Esophageal Cancer Areas in Transkei, Southern Africa. W. F. O. Marasas, National Research Institute for Nutritional Diseases, South African Medical Research Council, P.O. Box 70, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; F. C. Wehner(2), S. J. van Rensburg(3), and D. J. van Schalkwyk(4). (2)(3)National Research Institute for Nutritional Diseases, South African Medical Research Council, P.O. Box 70, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa, (2)Present address: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa; (4)Institute for Biostatistics, South African Medical Research Council, P.O. Box 70, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa. Phytopathology 71:792-796. Accepted for publication 16 December 1980. Copyright 1981 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-71-792.

In Africa, the rate of human esophageal cancer is highest in the southwestern districts of the republic of Transkei, but the rate in the northeastern region of the republic is relatively low. Corn is the main dietary staple in both areas. The most striking and consistent difference in the mycoflora in homegrown corn during each of 3 yr was the significantly higher incidence of Fusarium verticillioides (= F. moniliforme) in corn produced in the high rate area. This difference was found by plating surface-sterilized corn kernels and by the dilution plate technique. Corn produced in the high rate area usually also had a higher percentage of kernels infected by F. sacchari var. subglutinans (= F. moniliforme var. subglutinans), a higher total percentage of kernels infected by Fusarium spp., and a higher total incidence of fungi than did corn produced in the low rate area, but these differences were not always statistically significant. The incidence of F. verticillioides in corn in different areas in Transkei was correlated with the human esophageal cancer rate, but it is not known whether a causal relationship exists.