Reproduction inhibiting effects of deoxynivalenol or T-2 toxin contaminated maize on Folsomia candida (Collembola)

Abstract

Mycotoxin contamination of cereals is a global animal and human health problem. Conventional tillage practices tended to increase mycotoxins in soil. Among them the Fusarium mycotoxins T-2 toxin and deoxynivalenol (DON) are frequent mycotoxins in temperate climates. Folsomia candida is a fungal feeding collembolan, and it has a role in the humification and the regulation of the soil microbial community. Our hypothesis was that F. candida is adapted to the secondary metabolites of the fungus, so there are no severe effect of mycotoxins on feed intake and reproduction. OECD experiments were carried out with T-2 or DON mycotoxin contaminated maize, also without the alternative food of baker’s yeast. A food choice test was implemented too. Neither DON nor T-2 toxin cause high mortality, but severe impairment in reproduction was observed, accompanied with feed refusal. However, feed refusal itself cannot be the cause of the low reproduction. Most probably, the mycotoxins impaired the embryonic development through damaging of the DNA. Additionally, DON and T-2 toxin are known to disturb the dopaminergic and serotoninergic neurons, which can disturb the feeding behaviour, and both trichothecenes can cause lesions in the mouth and gut, which may also resulted feed refusal.