Abstract
Resistance to toxigenic fungi and their toxins in maize is a highly important research topic, as mean global losses are estimated at about 10% of the yield. Resistance and toxin data of the hybrids are mostly not given, so farmers are not informed about the food safety risks of their grown hybrids. According to the findings aflatoxin regularly occurs at preharvest in Hungary and possibly other countries in the region can be jeopardized. We tested, with an improved methodology (two isolates, three pathogens, and a toxin control), 18 commercial hybrids (2017–2020) for kernel resistance (%), and for toxin contamination separately by two–two isolates of F. graminearum, F. verticillioides (mg/kg), and A. flavus (μg/kg). The preharvest toxin contamination was measured in the controls. Highly significant kernel resistance and toxin content differences were identified between hybrids to the different fungi. Extreme high toxin production was found for each toxic species. Only about 10–15% of the hybrids showed higher resistance to the fungal species tested and lower contamination level of their toxins. The lacking correlations between resistance to different fungi and toxins suggest that resistance to different fungi and response to toxin contamination inherits independently, so a toxin analysis is necessary. For safety risk estimation, separated artificial and natural kernel infection and toxin data are needed against all pathogens. Higher resistance to A. flavus and F. verticillioides stabilizes or improves feed safety in hot and dry summers, balancing the harmful effect of climate changes. Resistance and toxin tests during variety registration is an utmost necessity. The exclusion of susceptible or highly susceptible hybrids from commercial production results in reduced toxin contamination.
Highlights
Maize is commonly affected by three main toxigenic fungi: F. graminearum, producer of deoxynivalenol and zearalenone, F. verticillioides, synthetizing more than hundred fumonisins, and A. flavus producing aflatoxins, the most important of which is AFB1
We found no significant correlations between toxigenic species, and only the F. verticillioides/A
When we started artificial inoculations in maize nearly 50 years ago, the breeders requested that we reproduce the symptoms they experienced with natural infection
Summary
Reliable information on maize resistance to toxigenic fungi has seldom been provided for commercial hybrids [6]; an evaluation of the production risks of hybrids for food safety is a global but mostly neglected task. An improved understanding of the ear rot resistance, the toxin relations, the artificial and natural infection comparisons, and toxin data with respect to different toxigenic fungi may help to provide farmers more reliable information on the risk of hybrids. These data are important for farmers, breeders, animal husbandry, and the ethanol industry
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