Occurrence of thermophilous fungi in stored moist barley grain

Abstract

Thermophilous fungi were repeatedly recorded in moist, stored barley grain in three concrete stave silos in Cumberland and Lincolnshire, England. Absidia spp., Aspergillus Candidus, A.flavus, A.fumigatus, A. terreus, Dactylomyces crustaceus, Eurotium amstelodami, Monascus spp. and Mucor pusillus were frequently isolated from both grain husks and dehusked surface sterilized grain. Mycelium of thermophilous fungi was found to be mostly confined to husk tissue of the healthy grain at the outset of the storage. However, after prolonged storage a number of these species, such as Aspergillus Candidus, A. terreus and Dactylomyces crustaceus, invaded the grain tissue especially when self-heating of grain took place. Formic acid treatment of moist stored grain, however, reduced to a great extent the population of thermophilous fungi.