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Postharvest Pathology and Mycotoxins

Toxigenicity of Fusarium proliferatum and other Fusarium Species Isolated from Corn Ears in Minnesota. Hamed K. Abbas, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108; C. J. Mirocha(2), T. Kommedahl(3), P. M. Burnes(4), R. A. Meronuck(5), and R. Gunther(6). (2)(3)(4)(5)Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108; (6)Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455. Phytopathology 78:1258-1260. Accepted for publication 5 May 1988. Copyright 1988 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-78-1258.

Eighty-one isolates of Fusarium species isolated in 1986 from naturally contaminated ears of corn (Zea mays L.) in southern Minnesota were identified as F. proliferatum (11 isolates), F. subglutinans (23 isolates), F. graminearum (20 isolates), F. moniliforme (19 isolates), and F. oxysporum (eight isolates). When these isolates were single-spored, grown on a sterile rice substrate, and fed to rats, F. proliferatum caused hemorrhage (five isolates), diarrhea (one isolate), and death (nine isolates); F. subglutinans caused death (eight isolates); F. graminearum caused uterine enlargement (14 isolates), hemorrhage (four isolates), and death (nine isolates); F. moniliforme caused hemorrhage in various organs (13 isolates), diarrhea (three isolates) and death (16 isolates); and F. oxysporum caused hemorrhage (one isolate) and death (one isolate). All 81 isolates caused rats to gain less than those fed control diets. This is the first report of F. proliferatum causing organ hemorrhage as well as death.