Preharvest Maize Fungal Microbiome and Mycotoxin Contamination: Case of Zambia’s Different Rainfall Patterns

Katati, Bwalya; Schoenmakers, Pierre; Njapau, Henry; Kachapulula, Paul W.; Zwaan, Bas J.; Diepeningen, A.D. van; Schoustra, Sijmen E.

doi:10.1128/aem.00078-23

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The next step involves the collection of plant material followed by disinfection. It is essential to avoid harvesting during or after rainy days, as the plant material is highly susceptible to contamination by various bacteria and fungi [38].…”

Section: Effective Disinfection Methods For Micropropagationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) In Vitro Culture: A Review

Correia,

Matos,

Leal

2024

Horticulturae

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The demand for Vaccinium fruits has skyrocketed due to their nutritional and medicinal properties, notably their high content of phenolic compounds and excellent sensory evaluation. The use of Vaccinium plants and its components as dietary supplements and health ingredients has been on the rise across the world. The attractive fruits contain a high content of anthocyanins and antioxidant compounds. In some popular and valuable cultivars, the conventional propagation methods, exploiting hard or soft wood cuttings, are inefficient. The demand for nursery plants can be fulfilled by micropropagation. This review aims to explore advances in the in vitro culture of Vaccinium plants, focusing on effective disinfection, optimized culture media, and the role of growth regulators in plant development and multiplication. By providing a controlled environment, micropropagation allows the large-scale production of these plants in a short time, ensuring availability throughout the year. Additionally, this technique offers the advantage of studying the effects of abiotic stresses on plants, as well as facilitating research on the production of relevant metabolites. This review seeks to provide an updated overview of the most promising methods and techniques for micropropagation of Vaccinium, thereby contributing to the ongoing development of the blueberry production industry and derivative products.

show abstract

Section: Effective Disinfection Methods For Micropropagationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advances in Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) In Vitro Culture: A Review

Correia,

Matos,

Leal

2024

Horticulturae

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Niche partitioning association of fungal genera correlated with lower Fusarium and fumonisin-B1 levels in maize

Katati,

van Diepeningen,

Njapau

et al. 2024

BioControl

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Through partitioning of ecological niches, several fungi are able to coexist on the same host crop. In (partial) absence of niche partitioning, competitive exclusion among fungi can occur. Competitive exclusion is one of the bases for biocontrol. We investigated fungal correlations, in terms of relative abundance of the fungi, in pre-harvest maize, as a natural ecosystem model. Internal mycobiome fungal relative abundance of maize was used to establish correlations. The maize had been harvested from dry and wet agro-ecological zones of Zambia. The relative abundances of the fungal genera were determined using DNA amplicon sequencing. For this study, positive or absence of correlations between fungal genera signified good niche partitioning (co-existence), whereas negative correlations signified poor niche partitioning and potential for competitive exclusion. When species compete within one niche (competitive exclusion), we may expect to detect higher levels of mycotoxins—since mycotoxins are considered antagonistic agents aimed at defending or invading an ecological niche. To estimate the importance of mycotoxins in competitive exclusion, we measured the influence of the fungal correlations on levels of fumonisin-B1 (FB1) in the maize. FB1 data were derived from a previous study on the maize, determined by HPLC. Results showed that Sarocladium and Stenocarpella had the strongest significant negative correlation with Fusarium, suggesting poor niche partitioning and potential for antagonism of these genera with Fusarium. Furthermore, higher levels of Stenocarpella resonated with lower levels of FB1 and vice versa. It was also observed that, when Sarocladium was in low abundance (< 10%), the frequency of detection of higher levels of FB1 (> 100 µg kg−1) in the pre-harvest maize was highest.

show abstract

Maize Aspergillus section Flavi isolate diversity may be distinct from that of soil and subsequently the source of aflatoxin contamination

Katati,

Kovács,

Njapau

et al. 2024

Mycotoxin Res

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aspergillus section Flavi (Flavi) is a diverse group of fungal species whose common members include A. flavus and A. parasiticus. These are well-known for the production of aflatoxin (AF) B and G and other toxic metabolites, like cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). They are saprophytic soil dwellers and also become crop opportunistic epiphytes. The consequence is contamination of the crop with mycotoxins, such as carcinogenic AF. We investigated the Flavi community structure of maize and that of their surrounding soil, including their mycotoxigenicity. Furthermore, we investigated the link of the maize Flavi diversity with preharvest maize AF levels. The study was carried out in four selected districts of Zambia, in a low rainfall zone. The Flavi characterisation was triphasic, involving morphological (colony colour and sclerotia formation), metabolic (AF and CPA production) and genetic (calmodulin gene polymorphism) analyses. Flavi abundance was determined by dilution plate technique on modified rose Bengal agar. Results showed that Flavi communities on maize and in soil differed. Maize had a higher Flavi species diversity than soil. A. parasiticus dominated the soil community by frequency of field appearance (85%), while maize was dominated by A. minisclerotigenes (45%). CPA-producers with or without AF production dominated the maize (65%) while producers of only AF (B/G) dominated the soil (88%). The ratio between maize A. parasiticus and A. minisclerotigenes abundance seemed to have had a bearing on the levels of AF in maize, with a ratio close to 1:1 having higher levels than a pure community of either A. parasiticus or A. minisclerotigenes.

show abstract

Preharvest Maize Fungal Microbiome and Mycotoxin Contamination: Case of Zambia’s Different Rainfall Patterns

Abstract: Fungi contaminate various crops worldwide. Maize, an important human staple and livestock cereal, is susceptible to contamination with fungi in the field.

Cited by 6 publications

References 53 publications

Advances in Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) In Vitro Culture: A Review

Advances in Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) In Vitro Culture: A Review

Niche partitioning association of fungal genera correlated with lower Fusarium and fumonisin-B1 levels in maize

Maize Aspergillus section Flavi isolate diversity may be distinct from that of soil and subsequently the source of aflatoxin contamination

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About