The Effect of Postharvest Fungicide Application on Storage Fungi of Corn During Ambient Air Drying and Storage

Abstract

Corn grain was treated immediately after harvest with the fungicides benomyl (0, 1, 5, and 10 μg/g), thiabendazole (0, 5, 10, and 20 μg/g), and A9248 (0, 5, 10, and 20 μg/g) in 1984, and with thiabendazole (0, 10, and 20 μg/g) and A9248 (0, 5, 10, and 20 μg/g) in 1985 to determine the effect of the fungicides on infection by storage fungi during ambient air drying and storage. After treatment, the grain was augured into modified grain bins and dried with ambient air. The incidence of storage fungi was determined following plating of kernels on malt salt agar. Fungicide treatments reduced the incidence of Penicillium species, and in some cases Aspergillus species, when compared to the nontreated control (.)