Preliminary observation on seasonal changes of trichothecene mycotoxin production by fusaria.

Abstract

AbstractDuring about 10 years of our experiments on the production of mycotoxins by filamentous fungi — particularly ochratoxin A, zearalenone and trichothecenes — we have observed significant differences of final mycotoxin yield in solid substrate cultures in various seasons. We stated that to get the high yield of mycotoxins it is necessary to start the mycotoxin production in laboratory cultures at spring time — during April or May. During late autumn and winter — particularly from November to February — the same strains produced significantly lower quantities of mycotoxins under the same substrate, temperature, moisture and inoculum conditions than at spring to summer time. We concluded that there exist probably seasonal changes in the metabolism of those fungi. To answer that question we examined the production of T‐2 toxin by one of the strains of Fusarium sporotrichioides Sherb during one year's cycle.