Disease Note

Survival of Fusarium graminearum on Corn Stored at Low Temperature. H. K. Abbas, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108. C. J. Mirocha, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108. Plant Dis. 70:78. Accepted for publication 16 October 1985. Copyright 1986 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-70-78e.

In 1972, an outbreak of Fusarium-infected corn (Zea mays L.) occurred in the U.S. corn belt, and swine refused to eat such corn. A 25-kg corn sample (FS 362) containing deoxynivalenol (vomitoxin) and zearalenone had been obtained from Indiana in 1972 and stored since then in a multiple-layer paper bag at 0 F. In 1985, 100 kernels were reexamined. The kernels were split longitudinally, surface-treated for 10 sec in 5% NaOCl, rinsed in sterile water, transferred to acidified potato-dextrose agar, and incubated under fluorescent lamps at 22 C (5,300 lux). Fusarium graminearum Schwabe grew from 60% of the kernels. Therefore, F. graminearum can survive in stored corn for at least 13 yr at low temperature. Species of Aspergillus, Mucor, and Papulospora were also isolated.