Common Soil Fungi Research Articles

Trichoderma atroviride, a maize root associated fungus, increases the parasitism rate of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda by its natural enemy Campoletis sonorensis

In agroecosystems, herbivore insects damage crops, but in the third trophic level, insects can be parasitized by natural enemies. Trichoderma spp. are common soil and root endophytic fungi that have been widely studied due to their capacity to produce antibiotics, parasitize other fungi and compete with deleterious plant microorganisms. The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is a serious pest of numerous crop plants. In the field, Campoletis sonorensis female wasps parasitize S. frugiperda. Considering these scenarios, it is necessary to look for ecological alternatives for S. frugiperda biocontrol. The aim of this work was to investigate whether Trichoderma atroviride associated with maize roots as part of a multitrophic interaction affects the parasitism rate of C. sonorensis on S. frugiperda. We found that larvae from maize plants whose roots were colonized by T. atroviride were stronger parasitized compared with larvae from non-inoculated plants, indicating that the fungus enhanced the natural mechanism of parasitism. This was correlated with the presence of the low-molecular weight compound 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one (6-PP) released by T. atroviride from the belowground. A pharmacological test showed that 6-PP is an airborne signaling molecule that increased the parasitism rate of C. sonorensis on its enemy. This finding provides new insights into the chemical communication between fungi and insects, and likely represents an inter-kingdom signaling molecule. Furthermore, this study shows a novel role for Trichoderma in multitrophic interactions, and its secondary metabolites in pest control management, presenting an alternative for the biocontrol of S. frugiperda using the combination of T. atroviride and C. sonorensis instead of chemical insecticides.

Selenite Distribution in Multicomponent System Consisting of Filamentous Fungus, Humic Acids, Bentonite, and Ferric Oxyhydroxides

Selenite is an environmental toxicant whose mobility is affected in soil by various natural components, including humic acids, clay minerals, amorphous ferric oxyhydroxides [FeOx(OH)y], and microorganisms. However, interactions of selenite with these components are usually evaluated separately. Therefore, we addressed selenite behavior in multicomponent system in this study with emphasis on its immobilization and fungal accumulation. Our results highlighted significant acidification of culture medium by common soil fungus Aspergillus niger’s production of protons in selenite presence which affected selenium immobilization. While bentonite and humic acids did not enhanced immobilization efficiency significantly, composite of FeOx(OH)y/humic acids was extremely successful in selenium immobilization. This was most likely by enhanced redox transformation of selenite into elemental selenium as the contribution of each component was synergistic. Subsequently, selenium bioavailability in culture medium decreased and negatively affected bioaccumulation efficiency by fungus. Our results highlighted the significance of multicomponent systems in more realistic evaluation of selenium mobility and transfer to microorganisms.

Evaluation of aluminium mobilization from its soil mineral pools by simultaneous effect of Aspergillus strains' acidic and chelating exometabolites

This contribution investigates aluminium mobilization from main aluminium pools in soils, phyllosilicates and oxyhydroxides, by acidic and chelating exometabolites of common soil fungi Aspergillus niger and A. clavatus. Their exometabolites' acidity as well as their ability to extract aluminium from solid mineral phases differed significantly during incubation. While both strains are able to mobilize aluminium from boehmite and aluminium oxide mixture to some extent, A. clavatus struggles to mobilize any aluminium from gibbsite. Furthermore, passive and active fungal uptake of aluminium enhances its mobilization from boehmite, especially in later growth phase, with strong linear correlation between aluminium bioaccumulated fraction and increasing culture medium pH. We also provide data on concentrations of oxalate, citrate and gluconate which are synthesized by A. niger and contribute to aluminium mobilization. Compared to boehmite-free treatment, fungus reduces oxalate production significantly in boehmite presence to restrict aluminium extraction efficiency. However, in presence of high phyllosilicates' dosages, aluminium is released to an extent that acetate and citrate is overproduced by fungus. Our results also highlight fungal capability to significantly enhance iron and silicon mobility as these elements are extracted from mineral lattice of phyllosilicates by fungal exometabolites alongside aluminium.

Symbiotic soil fungi enhance ecosystem resilience to climate change.

Substantial amounts of nutrients are lost from soils through leaching. These losses can be environmentally damaging, causing groundwater eutrophication and also comprise an economic burden in terms of lost agricultural production. More intense precipitation events caused by climate change will likely aggravate this problem. So far it is unresolved to which extent soil biota can make ecosystems more resilient to climate change and reduce nutrient leaching losses when rainfall intensity increases. In this study, we focused on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, common soil fungi that form symbiotic associations with most land plants and which increase plant nutrient uptake. We hypothesized that AM fungi mitigate nutrient losses following intensive precipitation events (higher amount of precipitation and rain events frequency). To test this, we manipulated the presence of AM fungi in model grassland communities subjected to two rainfall scenarios: moderate and high rainfall intensity. The total amount of nutrients lost through leaching increased substantially with higher rainfall intensity. The presence of AM fungi reduced phosphorus losses by 50% under both rainfall scenarios and nitrogen losses by 40% under high rainfall intensity. Thus, the presence of AM fungi enhanced the nutrient interception ability of soils, and AM fungi reduced the nutrient leaching risk when rainfall intensity increases. These findings are especially relevant in areas with high rainfall intensity (e.g., such as the tropics) and for ecosystems that will experience increased rainfall due to climate change. Overall, this work demonstrates that soil biota such as AM fungi can enhance ecosystem resilience and reduce the negative impact of increased precipitation on nutrient losses.

Carbon translocation from a plant to an insect-pathogenic endophytic fungus

Metarhizium robertsii is a common soil fungus that occupies a specialized ecological niche as an endophyte and an insect pathogen. Previously, we showed that the endophytic capability and insect pathogenicity of Metarhizium are coupled to provide an active method of insect-derived nitrogen transfer to a host plant via fungal mycelia. We speculated that in exchange for this insect-derived nitrogen, the plant would provide photosynthate to the fungus. By using 13CO2, we show the incorporation of 13C into photosynthate and the subsequent translocation of 13C into fungal-specific carbohydrates (trehalose and chitin) in the root/endophyte complex. We determined the amount of 13C present in root-associated fungal biomass over a 21-day period by extracting fungal carbohydrates and analysing their composition using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. These findings are evidence that the host plant is providing photosynthate to the fungus, likely in exchange for insect-derived nitrogen in a tripartite, and symbiotic, interaction.

Selenium (IV,VI) reduction and tolerance by fungi in an oxic environment.

Microbial processes are known to mediate selenium (Se) oxidation-reduction reactions, strongly influencing Se speciation, bioavailability, and transport throughout the environment. While these processes have commonly been studied in anaerobic bacteria, the role that aerobic fungi play in Se redox reactions could be important for Se-rich soil systems, dominated by microbial activity. We quantified fungal growth, aerobic Se(IV, VI) reduction, and Se immobilization and volatilization in the presence of six, metal-tolerant Ascomycete fungi. We found that the removal of dissolved Se was dependent on the fungal species, Se form (i.e., selenite or selenate), and Se concentration. All six species grew and removed dissolved Se(IV) or Se(VI) from solution, with five species reducing both oxyanions to Se(0) biominerals, and all six species removing at least 15%-20% of the supplied Se via volatilization. Growth rates of all fungi, however, decreased with increasing Se(IV,VI) concentrations. All fungi removed 85%-93% of the dissolved Se(IV) within 10 d in the presence of 0.01mm Se(IV), although only about 20%-30% Se(VI) was removed when grown with 0.01mm Se(VI). Fungi-produced biominerals were typically 50- to 300-nm-diameter amorphous or paracrystalline spherical Se(0) nanoparticles. Our results demonstrate that activity of common soil fungi can influence Se form and distribution, and these organisms may therefore play a role in detoxifying Se-polluted environments.

<i>In vitro</i> Evaluation of Growth Inhibition of Some Common Soil Fungi by Selective and Non-selective Herbicides

The indiscriminate and excessive use of herbicides being witnessed in recent times portends possible danger to environmental and human health. To gage the likely impacts of herbicides onfungal ecosystem services, the influence of three narrow [selective (atrazine, butachlor and 2,4-D)] and two broad [non-selective (glyphosate and paraquat)] spectrum herbicides at various concentrations of 0, 0.01, 0.1, 0.5 and 1% v/v on the radial mycelial extension growth, mycelial extension growth rate, percentage mycelial growth inhibition and minimum sporulation time of four common soil fungi, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Trichoderma viride and Penicillium sp. were investigated on PDA plates for a period of 96 h at 30 ± 2°C (room temperature). The radial mycelial extension growth of fungi decreased with increased concentrations of the herbicides except for T. viride where atrazine did not show any significant difference among all the concentrations tested (P≤0.05). The fastest mycelia extension growth rate for all fungi was recorded in Atrazine at the highest concentration tested, with T. viride being the fastest at 0.44 mm h-1. At 1% v/v, save for atrazine, all the herbicides inhibited at least 66% mycelial growth with 2,4-D showing a 100% inhibition. The minimum sporulation time for all fungi in the presence of the herbicides was 48 h. There was no sporulation in A. flavus and T. viride in presence of paraquat and 2,4-D above 0.1% v/v concentration within the 96 h of investigation. The results of this study suggest that indiscriminate and excessive use of herbicides could negatively affect ecosystem function.

Fusarium co-infection in a patient of tubercular meningitis

AbstractFusarium is a common soil fungus and it can cause serious illness in humans. Fusariosis is usually more invasive and disseminated in immune compromised individuals. We report a rare case of concomitant Fusarium meningitis in a patient with tubercular meningitis.

Chemical mimicking of bio-assisted aluminium extraction by Aspergillus niger’s exometabolites

Presence of microorganisms in soils strongly affects mobility of metals. This fact is often excluded when mobile metal fraction in soil is studied using extraction procedures. Thus, the first objective of this paper was to evaluate strain Aspergillus niger’s exometabolites contribution on aluminium mobilization. Fungal exudates collected in various time intervals during cultivation were analyzed and used for two-step bio-assisted extraction of alumina and gibbsite. Oxalic, citric and gluconic acids were identified in collected culture media with concentrations up to 68.4, 2.0 and 16.5 mmol L−1, respectively. These exometabolites proved to be the most efficient agents in mobile aluminium fraction extraction with aluminium extraction efficiency reaching almost 2.2%. However, fungal cultivation is time demanding process. Therefore, the second objective was to simplify acquisition of equally efficient extracting agent by chemically mimicking composition of main organic acid components of fungal exudates. This was successfully achieved with organic acids mixture prepared according to medium composition collected on the 12th day of Aspergillus niger cultivation. This mixture extracted similar amounts of aluminium from alumina compared to culture medium. The aluminium extraction efficiency from gibbsite by organic acids mixture was lesser than 0.09% which is most likely because of more rigid mineral structure of gibbsite compared to alumina. The prepared organic acid mixture was then successfully applied for aluminium extraction from soil samples and compared to standard single step extraction techniques. This showed there is at least 2.9 times higher content of mobile aluminium fraction in soils than it was previously considered, if contribution of microbial metabolites is considered in extraction procedures. Thus, our contribution highlights the significance of fungal metabolites in aluminium extraction from environmental samples, but it also simplifies the extraction procedure inspired by bio-assisted extraction of aluminium by common soil fungus A. niger.

The efficient long-term inhibition of forsterite dissolution by common soil bacteria and fungi at Earth surface conditions

San Carlos forsterite was dissolved in initially pure H2O in a batch reactor in contact with the atmosphere for 5years. The reactive fluid aqueous pH remained relatively stable at pH 6.7 throughout the experiment. Aqueous Mg concentration maximized after approximately 2years time at 3×10−5mol/kg, whereas aqueous Si concentrations increased continuously with time, reaching 2×10−5mol/kg after 5years. Element release rates closely matched those determined on this same forsterite sample during short-term abiotic open system experiments for the first 10days, then slowed substantially such that the Mg and Si release rates are approximately an order of magnitude slower than that calculated from the short-term abiotic experiments. Post-experiment analysis reveals that secondary hematite, a substantial biotic community, and minor amorphous silica formed on the dissolving forsterite during the experiment. The biotic community included bacteria, dominated by Rhizobiales (Alphaproteobacteria), and fungi, dominated by Trichocomaceae, that grew in a carbon and nutrient-limited media on the dissolving forsterite. The Mg isotope composition of the reactive fluid was near constant after 2years but 0.25‰ heavier in δ26Mg than the dissolving forsterite. Together these results suggest long-term forsterite dissolution in natural Earth surface systems maybe substantially slower than that estimated from short-term abiotic experiments due to the growth of biotic communities on their surfaces.

Baiting of rhizosphere bacteria with hyphae of common soil fungi reveals a diverse group of potentially mycophagous secondary consumers

Fungi and bacteria are primary consumers of plant-derived organic compounds and therefore considered as basal members of soil food webs. Trophic interactions among these microorganisms could, however, induce shifts in food web energy flows. Given increasing evidence for a prominent role of saprotrophic fungi as primary consumers of root-derived carbon, we propose that fungus-derived carbon may be an important resource for rhizosphere bacteria. To test this assumption, two common saprotrophic, rhizosphere-inhabiting fungi, Trichoderma harzianum and Mucor hiemalis, were confronted in a microcosm system with bacterial communities extracted from the rhizospheres of a grass and sedge species, Carex arenaria and Festuca rubra. This showed a widespread ability of rhizosphere bacteria to attach to and feed on living hyphae of saprotrophic fungi. The identity of the fungi had a strong effect on the composition of these potentially mycophagous bacteria, whereas plant species identity was less important. Based on our results, we suggest that food web models should account for bacterial secondary consumption since this has important consequences for carbon fluxes with more carbon dioxide released by microbes and less microbial carbon available for the soil animal food web.

Cr Stable Isotope Fractionation in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Dandelion and Cr Uptake by Extraradical Mycelium

As common soil fungi that form symbioses with most terrestrial plants, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi play an important role in plant adaptation to chromium (Cr) contamination. However, little information is available on the underlying mechanisms of AM symbiosis on plant Cr resistance. In this study, dandelion (Taraxacum platypecidum Diels.) was grown with and without inoculation of the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and Cr uptake by extraradical mycelium (ERM) was investigated by a compartmented cultivation system using a Cr stable isotope tracer. The results indicated that AM symbiosis increased plant dry weights and P concentrations but decreased shoot Cr concentrations. Using the Cr stable isotope tracer technology, the work provided possible evidences of Cr uptake and transport by ERM, and confirmed the enhancement of root Cr stabilization by AM symbiosis. This study also indicated an enrichment of lighter Cr isotopes in shoots during Cr translocation from roots to shoots in mycorrhizal plants.

The effect of saprotrophic fungi on the development and hatching of Fasciola hepatica eggs.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 6 common soil fungi species: Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissl., Aspergillus candidus Link, Penicillium chrysogenum Thom, P. commune Thom, Trichothecium roseum (Pers.) Link and Ulocladium sp., on the hatching of miracidia, i.e., free living larvae of liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica). To this end, the eggs of F. hepatica were incubated in water in the presence of one of the aforementioned fungi species and in tap water (control) at a temperature of 26 degrees C. At the 15th day of incubation we determined the number of nonembryonated, embryonated and hatched eggs. We observed different degrees of antagonistic influences by the tested fungal strains on the development of F. hepatica eggs. Among the examined fungi, the strongest ovistatic effects were exhibited by Trichothecium roseum, Penicillium chrysogenum (R-3) and P. commune. The study showed no morphological damage to the shells of the F. hepatica eggs which may suggest a biochemical basis of antagonistic interactions by the fungi associated with the activity of fungal enzymes, mycotoxins and antibiotics. Low or no activity of peptide hydrolases in Penicillium chrysogenum and P. commune in the API ZYM test suggests their insignificant role in the degradation of shell proteins ofF. hepatica eggs.

Sixth cranial nerve palsy in isolated sphenoid sinusitis: a case report

In January 2013, a 78-year-old woman presented with diplopia due to a left abducens nerve palsy. She also mentioned a progressive left retro-orbital pain since 2 weeks, which she had already experienced 4 months earlier but resolved after steroid therapy for 10 days. She was known with diabetes mellitus type two and was treated with oral antidiabetics. Further neurological examination was normal. Fundoscopic examination could not reveal papillary edema. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, orbits and sinuses demonstrated no parenchymatous or orbital pathology, but revealed an isolated sphenoid sinusitis (ISS), probably due to a fungal infection. The fungus seemed to have invaded the clivus at the site where the left abducens nerve enters Dorello’s canal (Fig. 1a–c). An urgent endoscopic sphenoidotomy was performed. Cultures showed growth of Scedosporium Apiospermum, a common soil fungus. Biopsy excluded malignancy. The patient was treated with intravenous voriconazole for 3 weeks. One month after surgery, her complaints had resolved. Clinical and ophthalmological examination revealed a complete recovery of the left abducens nerve palsy. Subsequently performed cone-beam computed tomography evaluation of the paranasal sinuses in March and April 2013 showed a progressive resolution of the sphenoid sinusitis with only some residual mucosal thickening in June. At that moment, she was still being treated with oral voriconazole 200 mg twice daily. In October 2013 voriconazole was stopped without clinical or radiological signs of disease recurrence up till now.

Fungal communities colonising empty Cepaea hortensis shells differ according to litter type

Soil and litter fungi can colonise and decompose many natural materials, including highly resilient proteinaceous compounds of animal origin. The shells of terrestrial gastropods are formed from such a compound (conchiolin) combined with inorganic calcium carbonate. In this study, we investigated fungal communities colonising empty shells of the common terrestrial gastropod Cepaea hortensis . Shells were exposed on the surface of litter from four different forest types (alder alluvial, oak-hornbeam, peat-bog pine and scree forest) and the fungi were surveyed and identified in four 3-month periods. We found 27 fungal species, one fungus forming mycelial cords, seven types of sterile mycelium and streptomycetes colonising the shells. The most frequent fungal species identified were common soil fungi. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant effect of the litter type on the fungal community. Humidity and pH at the locality are likely to be more important for fungal communities than the proteinaceous material of the shell. • First systematic study of microfungi on terrestrial gastropod shells. • Significant effect of time and litter type. • Fungi found on gastropod shells mostly known as chitinolytic or cellulolytic species. • Little effect of the polymer conchiolin on composition of fungal communities.

Strains of the soil fungus Mortierella show different degradation potentials for the phenylurea herbicide diuron

Microbial pesticide degradation studies have until now mainly focused on bacteria, although fungi have also been shown to degrade pesticides. In this study we clarify the background for the ability of the common soil fungus Mortierella to degrade the phenylurea herbicide diuron. Diuron degradation potentials of five Mortierella strains were compared, and the role of carbon and nitrogen for the degradation process was investigated. Results showed that the ability to degrade diuron varied greatly among the Mortierella strains tested, and the strains able to degrade diuron were closely related. Degradation of diuron was fastest in carbon and nitrogen rich media while suboptimal nutrient levels restricted degradation, making it unlikely that Mortierella utilize diuron as carbon or nitrogen sources. Degradation kinetics showed that diuron degradation was followed by formation of the metabolites 1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-methylurea, 1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea and an hitherto unknown metabolite suggested to be 1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-methylideneurea.

English

Psuedallescheria boydii is a common soil fungus that is increasingly reported as a human pathogen. Lung is the most common extra cutaneous site of infections .Invasive pulmonary disease is seen usually in an immunocompromised host. We are reporting an unusual first case of invasive pulmonary pseudoallescheria sis in an immunocompetent patient from Central India.Microscopy of bronchoalveolar lavage of a treated and cured patient of past pulmonary tuberculosis revealed hyphae (approx 3-5 µ) which were septate & dichotomously branched resembling aspergillus species.The organism was cultured & identified as P.boydii. . Previously recognized causative agent of disease in an immunocompromised host is now causing disease in immunocompetent host.

A Model Sheet Mineral System to Study Fungal Bioweathering of Mica

The general objective of this research was to examine fungal interactions with silicate minerals within the context of their roles in bioweathering. To achieve this, we used muscovite, a phyllosilicate mineral (KAl2[(OH)2|AlSi3O10]), in the form of a mineral sheet model system for ease of experimental manipulation and microscopic examination. It was found that test fungal species successfully colonized and degraded the surface of muscovite sheets in both laboratory and field experiments. After colonization by the common soil fungus Aspergillus niger, a network of hyphae covered the surface of the muscovite, and mineral dissolution or degradation was clearly evidenced by a network of fungal “footprints” that reflected coverage by the mycelium. For natural soil incubations, microorganisms associated with muscovite sheet material included biofilms of fungi and bacteria on the surface, while mineral encrustation or adhesion to microbial structures was also observed. Our results show that muscovite sheet is a good model mineral system for examination of microbial colonization and degradation, and this was demonstrated using laboratory and field systems, providing more evidence for the bioweathering significance of fungal activities in the context of silicate degradation and soil formation and development. The approach is also clearly applicable to other rock and mineral-based substrates and a variety of free-living and symbiotic microbial systems.

Colonization of Arabidopsis roots by Trichoderma atroviride promotes growth and enhances systemic disease resistance through jasmonic acid/ethylene and salicylic acid pathways

Trichoderma spp. are common soil fungi used as biocontrol agents due to their capacity to produce antibiotics, induce systemic resistance in plants and parasitize phytopathogenic fungi of major agricultural importance. The present study investigated whether colonization of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings by Trichoderma atroviride affected plant growth and development. Here it is shown that T. atroviride promotes growth in Arabidopsis. Moreover, T. atroviride produced indole compounds in liquid cultures. These results suggest that indoleacetic acid-related indoles (IAA-related indoles) produced by T. atroviride may have a stimulatory effect on plant growth. In addition, whether colonization of Arabidopsis roots by T. atroviride can induce systemic protection against foliar pathogens was tested. Arabidopsis roots inoculation with T. atroviride provided systemic protection to the leaves inoculated with bacterial and fungal pathogens. To investigate the possible pathway involved in the systemic resistance induced by T. atroviride, the expression profile of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid/ethylene, oxidative burst and camalexin related genes was assessed in Arabidopsis. T. atroviride induced an overlapped expression of defence-related genes of SA and JA/ET pathways, and of the gene involved in the synthesis of the antimicrobial phytoalexin, camalexin, both locally and systemically. This is the first report where colonization of Arabidopsis roots by T. atroviride induces the expression of SA and JA/ET pathways simultaneously to confer resistance against hemibiotrophic and necrotrophic phytopathogens. The beneficial effects induced by the inoculation of Arabidopsis roots with T. atroviride and the induction of the plant defence system suggest a molecular dialogue between these organisms.

OFFICIAL CONTROLS OF FOODSTUFFS – CONTAMINATION OF CEREALS BY MYCOTOXINS OF THE GENUS FUSARIUM AND OCHRATOXIN A.

One of the most dangerous food contaminants are mycotoxins - secondary metabolites of toxinogenic fibre fungi considered the main plant pathogens. A variety of Fusarium fungi, which are common soil fungi, produce a number of different mycotoxins of the class of trichothecenes (T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol and some other toxins (zearalenone and fumonisins)). The Fusarium fungi are commonly found on cereals grown in the temperate regions of Europe. In this work contamination of Slovak grain by toxins with focus on the genus Fusarium was monitored. The results of monitoring pointed at relative low contamination of Slovak grain by toxins the genus Fusarium from harvest 2008, which is documented by maximum as well as by average measuring data in comparison with valid legislation. Average measuring data of deoxynivalenol in year 2008 were in barley 48,8 µg.kg -1 , in oats 90 µg.kg -1 , in wheat 70 µg.kg -1 , in rye 65,5 µg.kg -1 , in maize 75,9 µg.kg -1 . Average measuring data of zearalenon in year 2008 were in barley 0,8 µg.kg -1 , in oats 9,1 µg.kg -1 , in wheat 7,1 µg.kg -1 , in rye 3,2 µg.kg -1 , in maize 13,9 µg.kg -1 . Average measuring data of T2 toxin in year 2008 were in barley 3,38 µg.kg -1 , in oats 22,9 µg.kg -1 , in wheat 15 µg.kg -1 , in rye 2,9 µg.kg -1 , in maize 13,9 µg.kg -1 . In year 2009 when presence of nivalenol in 79 samples was evaluated, detected levels varied from 5 to 1025 µg.kg -1 , in case of those samples also deoxynivalenol was evaluated, detected levels varied from 25 to 965 µg.kg -1 . The results pointed at higher contamination. In year 2010 when presence of nivalenol in 96 samples was evaluated, detected levels varied from 5 to 48 µg.kg -1 , in case of those samples also deoxynivalenol was evaluated, detected levels varied from 5 to 2348 µg.kg -1 . In this year the results pointed at the highest contamination over the past three years. Average measuring data of deoxynivalenol in wheat in year 2009 were 241 µg.kg -1. Average measuring data of deoxynivalenol in wheat in year 2010 were 552,25 µg.kg -1 . doi:10.5219/139